Joint Table Top Exercise on Influenza Preparedness and Response Readiness
KATHMANDU-The Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives, Nepal in close coordination with Ministry of Health & Population supported by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) & World Health Organization (WHO) Nepal organized a Joint Table Top Exercise on Influenza Preparedness and Response Readiness at Godavari Village Resort, Kathmandu, on 29 & 30 April 2018.
The exercise was undertaken with the intense engagement of all sectors (animal, human, wildlife and environment) to identify strength & gaps in the preparedness and response readiness plans and interventions for Influenza with a 'One Health' approach based on the available legal, policy, technical and operational documents of the government for cohesive action.
The exercise was critical to arrive at a common understanding on the legal and administrative provisions, technical guidelines and operational protocols needed for synergistic, harmonized and mutually supportive sectoral and joint actions to prevent, detect, investigate, confirm and contain epidemics/potential public health emergencies due to influenza in humans or domestic/wild animals in Nepal.
Based on the understanding, the critical gaps in the documents were identified by the expert participants and recommendations made on the updates needs to finalize a comprehensive set of documents to be endorsed by the line ministries and the Government of Nepal.