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Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_....php?id=128050
Surprise public health drill to take place soon
(TNA) - The ministry of public health announced on Saturday it will hold what it calls a two-day "surprise Public Health Security Exercise" with the UN World Health Organisation later this month.
Dr Praj Boonyawongvirot, Permanent Secretary for Public Health, insisted the exercise would be a surprise because both the date and specific locations to be tests will not be revealed.
The drill is meant for coping with an emergency situation and simultaneously to test the level of preparedness of Thai health authorities and the Bangkok-based WHO officials.
Dr Praj said the exercise would be conducted mainly through communication systems and focus on responses and analysing the situation, preparing reports and coordinating participating officials and agencies.
He urged the public not to panic, and added a code would be used by the ministry and the WHO, to make it clear the procedures were an "Exercise, Exercise".
Diseases which need to be reported to the WHO within 24 hours include polio, a new strain of influenza and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) because they are known globally and impact on the economy.
Thanking Thailand for joining the exercise, Dr Maureen Birmingham, acting chief of the WHO in Thailand, said there were four major questions which needed answers whether public health was at risk:
* were whether the disease is dangerous
* whether it is a new disease
* whether it could be transmitted overseas and
* whether it could affect the economy in ways which could eventually lead to interruption of trade.
Surprise public health drill to take place soon
(TNA) - The ministry of public health announced on Saturday it will hold what it calls a two-day "surprise Public Health Security Exercise" with the UN World Health Organisation later this month.
Dr Praj Boonyawongvirot, Permanent Secretary for Public Health, insisted the exercise would be a surprise because both the date and specific locations to be tests will not be revealed.
The drill is meant for coping with an emergency situation and simultaneously to test the level of preparedness of Thai health authorities and the Bangkok-based WHO officials.
Dr Praj said the exercise would be conducted mainly through communication systems and focus on responses and analysing the situation, preparing reports and coordinating participating officials and agencies.
He urged the public not to panic, and added a code would be used by the ministry and the WHO, to make it clear the procedures were an "Exercise, Exercise".
Diseases which need to be reported to the WHO within 24 hours include polio, a new strain of influenza and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) because they are known globally and impact on the economy.
Thanking Thailand for joining the exercise, Dr Maureen Birmingham, acting chief of the WHO in Thailand, said there were four major questions which needed answers whether public health was at risk:
* were whether the disease is dangerous
* whether it is a new disease
* whether it could be transmitted overseas and
* whether it could affect the economy in ways which could eventually lead to interruption of trade.