Title: North American plan for animal and pandemic influenza
Description: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was the first public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) declared under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] and the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years. Canada, Mexico, and the United States recognize that the risk of another pandemic has not diminished and that the world faces an ongoing threat posed by the emergence and spread of influenza viruses with the potential to cause a human influenza pandemic. The three countries continue to work together to strengthen their preparedness in anticipation of a highly contagious influenza virus or other pandemic either originating in or spread to this continent. The 2007 North American Plan for Avian and Pandemic Influenza resulted from the commitment made by the leaders of the three countries under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). The plan included a comprehensive approach to prepare for avian and pandemic influenza in North America based on the assumption that a pandemic was likely to start outside of the region and focused on avian influenza because of the re-emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in humans in 2003.  Superseding the SPP, the North American Leaders Summit (NALS) provides a renewed collaborative framework among the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. During the first NALS, held in August 2009 in Guadalajara, Mexico, the three leaders highlighted North America's coordinated response to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 as a global example of cooperation. The Leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to a continued and deepened cooperation on pandemic influenza preparedness.  The North American Plan for Animal and Pandemic Influenza (NAPAPI) retains the key elements of the 2007 version, while incorporating the lessons learned from the North American response to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, including recognizing that a pandemic influenza virus may emerge in our region and expanding the focus on animal influenza viruses to incorporate both avian and non-avian species. The NAPAPI outlines how the three countries intend to strengthen their emergency response capacities as well as our trilateral and cross-sectoral collaborations and capabilities in order to assist each other and ensure a faster and more coordinated response to future outbreaks of animal influenza or an influenza pandemic. In brief, the NAPAPI is a comprehensive cross-sectoral regional health security framework developed mainly with the input of the health, agriculture, security, and foreign affairs sectors to protect against, control and provide a public health response to animal and pandemic influenza in North America, while avoiding unnecessary interference with international travel and trade.
Subjects: Epidemics, Influenza, Prevention, International relations, Policies, Government, Infection control, Animals, Human Influenza, Epidemiology, Health Planning, Organization & administration, Health Policy, Influenza A virus, International Cooperation, Pandemics, Prevention & control
Places: North America