H1N1 virus update
Posted on September 23, 2009
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September 23, 2009 – Latin America in the past 6 months achieved a flow of virus prevention and control experience has shown that early and vigorously promote truthful and strong public health surveillance systems for the effective prevention and control of a flow of the virus is crucial.
The World Bank Latin America and the Caribbean, Deputy Secretary for Health and Gonville and Caius • Hansen (Keith Hansen) said that in the southern hemisphere in the winter over the past few months, a flow of the rapid spread of the virus in the region.
Hansen said the April 28, the World Bank announced 205 million U.S. dollars in Mexico to provide the rapid disbursement of funds to support its fight against a flow of the virus. Since then, the World Bank to more than 10 countries in this region provided support, and “ready” for any country to provide financial, technical and planning assistance, including a stream after the vaccine available to help countries buying vaccines.
Hansen said that Mexico found that a flow of virus, the Government announced a daily flow of new outbreaks and to take other measures, such as school closure and encouraging residents to be at home. These measures will help control the increase in the number of new cases and deaths. Most other countries in the region have followed suit.
In addition, because a flow of the virus has been spread in the region, it is clear that the need for a sound public health surveillance system to track and respond to a stream.
Hansen said that the system is not simply a statistical A flow of the number of infections, but rather to pay attention to “what kind of people infected with a flow rate of infection how fast, how long illness, but also study how long the infectious period of the the disease is still change. Of course, the most important thing is clear which areas suffer the most affected at the same time ready to treat those conditions most of the patients. ”
Hansen said the measures can also be effective in strengthening health systems to respond to a general illness, emergencies and the challenges of the epidemic. For example, Brazil and Argentina, the implementation of health projects for the community’s most urgent medical needs of the fast-track funding arrangements, and enhanced its ability to respond to the epidemic.
The Bank participated in the World Health Organization and its Latin American subsidiaries (PAHO) co-sponsored a global cooperation projects. WHO, August 28, said a stream has become the most parts of the world’s most serious type of influenza, and all countries have a large number of susceptible populations. WHO considers that a second wave of the impact of current virus may be more intense, because the number of new infections has increased.
A flow of the current epidemic in Latin America How?
Most Latin American countries have first appeared during this influenza A current outbreak. A flow of the first outbreak in Mexico, then spread around the world, we can see that a flow rate of transmission of the virus very quickly. A flow rapidly replacing other flu, more particularly the number of people affected.
You said the “exceptionally more” What does it mean?
In general, the elderly and children susceptible to common flu. A stream of young people have a greater impact, but not a big impact on older persons, it may be because the elderly often suffering from influenza due to an early immune. This new type of influenza viruses in line, so a stream itself is not surprising, but for any health systems that are a challenge. Countries have worked ceaselessly to find ways to fight against a stream, from which I have come to experience a number of points.
What is experience?
First of all, as soon as possible is essential to vigorously honest advocacy. Mexico in April of this year to take the lead in this practice. At that time, whenever there is information, the Government has moved quickly to faithfully as clearly as possible to the public through various media, public information every day. Later, most other countries followed suit.
Secondly, the surveillance is important, while a sound public health surveillance system is to take effective measures to deal with the basic guarantee. This system is not a simple flow statistics A number of infections – influenza is a very common disease, so in any country, statistics the number of infections will no longer be helpful, but you want to track the overall development of a stream to understand the transmission of which areas the transfer of forward momentum, what kind of people infected with a stream of transmission how fast, how long the period of illness, but also a general idea how long the period of viral infection, the virus is evolving, of course, most importantly, which areas are suffering from the most seriously affected. In addition, to prepare for the most serious disease in patients with treatment.
At present, the World Bank is also working with other international agencies and national cooperation for public health monitoring, prepared to deal with possible future outbreak?
Yes. At present, many organizations are involved in the Latin American region by the WHO and its affiliates take the lead in the Pan American Health Organization launched a global cooperation projects. The World Bank is an important partner of the project. WHO’s leadership in conducting the clinical, technical and medical aspects of the work, while the World Bank is working through various channels of financial assistance and planning assistance.
In order to help countries to respond to a flow in this region, the World Bank to carry out what work?
The World Bank basically provides a variety of forms of support. In some countries, the World Bank provided financial support; in other countries, the World Bank implemented a number of new projects or existing projects set up under a new sub-project, promoting it as a flow of the sustainable development of the epidemic preparedness. In other countries, to support in the form of technical support or knowledge-sharing – with the experience of a stream or a few years ago through “SARS” for dialogue with other countries to understand that they effectively prevent the epidemic from what made the experience. In addition, the Bank is helping countries to carry out forward planning, accounting for the cost of a potential response to ensure that its made thorough consideration before taking action.
The Bank is currently working with the number of countries in the region to cooperate?
There may be more than 10 countries. The World Bank from the outset, to keep in touch with these countries. 10-12 countries, the World Bank has decided to directly use a variety of support, including financial support. Basically, all borrowers with the World Bank launched a dialogue with customers.
A current view of the vaccine would soon be published whether it has plans to help countries to buy vaccines?
Yes. The World Bank stands ready to assist all countries, to provide any form of support, including financial support, technical support or programmatic support. At present, the World Bank has developed two projects will be directly supporting the purchase of vaccines. Of course, vaccines are only a flow of a small part of the response. A very important point is to strengthen the laboratory network in general, and health monitoring systems. The World Bank is ready to work in all aspects of the above, but in fact in some countries work.
A flow of the means by which the virus population and economy of this region had an impact?
People often ask, such as a flow of such a pandemic would be what the overall impact? The preferred answer is that a cause of morbidity and death flow. While this will continue to be the best answer, but everyone will understand that a stream will also produce other effects. For example, Mexico’s schools, government departments and most other public sector have closed down two or three weeks, (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, etc.) the Southern Cone countries as well. To one in some countries a sharp decline in the number of travel. Decline in tourism, because people interested in the so-called “social distance” type travel – they stay away from crowded places and markets; soccer or canceled, or in the empty stadium. Clearly, these will have a definite impact on the economy, but needs to keep in mind the important point is that the impact is not surprising, because people have done everything reasonable. This is not a wrong move from country to country, as a result of the loss, but does lead to economic losses, affect economic development. At the same time, this situation is unavoidable to some extent, because people stay at home after becoming ill and the doctor, one of the main recommendations given. We want people to continue to do so. Of course, we also hope that the end of a stream as soon as possible, their severity as light as possible. Therefore, we hope that within its capacity to support the monitoring and prevention and control work, so that countries in order to minimize the impact. We do not want to falsely suggested that, since doing so would cause such a large economic losses, then one should continue to work or to school to school, it would only make the situation worse.
Epidemic could have caused enormous losses to the economy and business, which is necessary to work vigorously to strengthen and continue to implement effective monitoring and public health safeguards of the reason why. In addition, the economy is not a yardstick to measure everything. The most fundamental point is that people’s life, health, productivity and well-being at stake. Epidemic does not completely prevent, but you can minimize, and this is the role of a sound public health system, and also the World Bank and other development partners can support areas.
In order to help strengthen health systems in Latin America, the World Bank what was being done?
Argentina and Brazil, the World Bank is funding a project targeted master’s degree, namely, to enhance general health between the two countries prepared to deal with the challenges and health emergencies and epidemics capabilities. The Bank can, within a day or two to the two fast-disbursing funds to meet their most urgent needs. The World Bank is currently providing support to all countries, we believe that this support should be immediately prepared to help countries can also be rewarded in the long term investment.
Therefore, even if the epidemic was not severe or end-miraculously disappear overnight, but in order to strengthen the monitoring, public health system response and laboratory network, and further prepare to increase strategic reserves of essential drugs – these drugs includes not only a flow of vaccines, but also needed to improve health systems of medicine, is still worthy of us to take such measures, because it is very correct. Our goal is not just a place to track the current flow, but ready to respond effectively in the future may occur in other diseases, the overall strengthening of national capacity to respond.
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