HEALTH SECURITY COMMITTEE OF THE EU (generic preparedness planning for public

health threats)

Charalambos CharilaouCharalambos CharilaouMSc, Bed, BSc(Hons),DCN, RGN, Phd canditateMSc, Bed, BSc(Hons),DCN, RGN, Phd canditate

First Nursing OfficerFirst Nursing OfficerRepresentative of Ministry of Health of Representative of Ministry of Health of

Cyprus in the HSCCyprus in the HSC

Health Security Committee (HSC) mandate Exchange information on health-related threats from Exchange information on health-related threats from

acts of terrorism or any deliberate release of CBRN acts of terrorism or any deliberate release of CBRN agentsagents

Share information and experience on preparedness Share information and experience on preparedness and response plans and crisis management and response plans and crisis management strategiesstrategies

Be able to communicate rapidly in case of health-Be able to communicate rapidly in case of health-related crisesrelated crises

Share and coordinate health-related crisis responses Share and coordinate health-related crisis responses by Member States and the Commissionby Member States and the Commission

Facilitate and support coordination and cooperation Facilitate and support coordination and cooperation efforts and initiatives undertaken at EU and efforts and initiatives undertaken at EU and international level international level

Health Security Committee (HSC)

Generic Preparedness and Response Generic Preparedness and Response for public health emergenciesfor public health emergencies

Public health preparedness and Public health preparedness and response to chemical, biological and response to chemical, biological and radio nuclear (CBRN) attacksradio nuclear (CBRN) attacks

Influenza preparedness and responseInfluenza preparedness and response

Priority Issues of HSC

Detection and communicationDetection and communication Threat and risk assessmentThreat and risk assessment PreparednessPreparedness Scientific adviceScientific advice Crisis management and testing of plansCrisis management and testing of plans CooperationCooperation

Crisisbreaks

Is Member State able to handle crisis

without external help?

Yes No

MS evaluates

No politicalEU coordination

required

Political EU coordination

required

SitCen

CCA

RAS

Agree-ments Manual

Info

National action

Crisisbreaks

Is Member State able to handle crisis

without external help?

Yes No

MS evaluates

No politicalEU coordination

required

Political EU coordination

required

SitCen

CCA

RAS

Agree-ments Manual

Info

National action

PRESIDENCY

PermanentRepresentatives

of affected MemberStates

Information onbreaking crisis

Political coordination inBrussels in the event of a

breaking emergency or crisis

COMMISSION(ARGUS)

GSCPrivate OfficesSG/HR & DSG

SITCEN 24hNumber

+32-(0)2-281 5000

Presidency decides whether to trigger coordinationarrangements in agreement with affected Member States

NO YES

PRESIDENCY CONSULTSCouncil Secretariat

& Commissionassist Presidency

Message to stand down

Member States&

Council Secretariat&

Commission

Crisis Steering Groupconvened via

Council Secretariat(Sitcen)

All Member States informed

COREPER II

Information input

Generic Preparedness and Response for Public Health emergencies

Generic Preparedness is about Generic Preparedness is about developing and strengthening capacities developing and strengthening capacities to respond rapidly to any kind of to respond rapidly to any kind of emergencies affecting or likely to affect emergencies affecting or likely to affect Public Health in more than one EU Public Health in more than one EU countrycountry

Essential components of Generic Preparedness Planning

Information managementInformation management CommunicationsCommunications Scientific adviceScientific advice Liaison and command and control Liaison and command and control

structuresstructures Preparedness of the health sectorPreparedness of the health sector Preparedness in all other sectors and Preparedness in all other sectors and

inter-sectorallyinter-sectorally

Chemical, Biological and Radio Nuclear (CBRN) threats

EU preparedness focuses on all types of EU preparedness focuses on all types of CBRN hazard (man made, natural, CBRN hazard (man made, natural, accidental or deliberate).accidental or deliberate).e.g deliberate contamination of drinking e.g deliberate contamination of drinking water, accidental radio-nuclear water, accidental radio-nuclear contamination or the emergence of a new contamination or the emergence of a new infections disease icluding those that take infections disease icluding those that take the form of pandemic.the form of pandemic.

Chemical, Biological and Radio Nuclear (CBRN) threats

EU activitiesEU activities Crisis management arrangements and Crisis management arrangements and

strategiesstrategies Communication systems linking up EU Communication systems linking up EU

countriescountries Expert advice on prevention, treatment and Expert advice on prevention, treatment and

mitigationmitigation Health risk assessmentHealth risk assessment Promoting research in CBRN related topicsPromoting research in CBRN related topics

Early Warning and Rapid Alert Systems

EWRS (Communicable diseases EWRS (Communicable diseases threats)threats)

RAS BICHAT (Deliberate release of RAS BICHAT (Deliberate release of CBRN agents)CBRN agents)

RAS CHEM (Incidents including RAS CHEM (Incidents including chemical agents relevant to terrorism chemical agents relevant to terrorism and other events)and other events)

EU CBRN Action Plan

ObjectivesObjectives1.1. Ensuring that unauthorized access to Ensuring that unauthorized access to

CBRN materials is as difficult as possible CBRN materials is as difficult as possible (prevention)(prevention)

2.2. Having the capability to detect CBRN Having the capability to detect CBRN materials (detection)materials (detection)

3.3. Being able to efficiently respond to Being able to efficiently respond to incidents involving CBRN materials and incidents involving CBRN materials and recover from them as quickly as possible recover from them as quickly as possible (preparedness and response)(preparedness and response)

Influenza pandemic preparedness

An influenza pandemic can occur An influenza pandemic can occur whenever a new flu virus appears against whenever a new flu virus appears against which humans have no immunity.which humans have no immunity.

Pandemics can be severe and require a Pandemics can be severe and require a high level of preparednesshigh level of preparedness

Influenza pandemic preparedness

Main objectivesMain objectivesPreparedness plansPreparedness plansAssessment of national preparednessAssessment of national preparednessExchange of best practicesExchange of best practicesVaccinationVaccination

Early Lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 outbreak

Investments in pandemic planning paid offInvestments in pandemic planning paid off Public health departments did not have Public health departments did not have

enough resources to carry out plansenough resources to carry out plans Response plans must be adaptable and Response plans must be adaptable and

science – drivenscience – driven Providing clear, straightforward information to Providing clear, straightforward information to

the public was essential for allaying fears and the public was essential for allaying fears and building trustbuilding trust

Early Lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 outbreak

Even with a mild outbreak, the health care Even with a mild outbreak, the health care delivery system was overwhelmeddelivery system was overwhelmed

Communications between the public health Communications between the public health system and health providers was not well system and health providers was not well coordinatedcoordinated

WHO pandemic alert phases caused WHO pandemic alert phases caused confusionconfusion

International coordination was more International coordination was more complicated than expectedcomplicated than expected

Health Security Committee Work Plan 2011-2013

Preparedness planningPreparedness planning Influenza Preparedness and planningInfluenza Preparedness and planning Risk assessmentRisk assessment Risk managementRisk management Risk communicationRisk communication

References

The Hague Programme: strengthening freedom, The Hague Programme: strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union security and justice in the European Union (2005/C53/01)(2005/C53/01)

EU emergency and crisis co-ordination arrangements EU emergency and crisis co-ordination arrangements (15106/05, Limite, CAB 48,JAI 469, PROCIV 194)(15106/05, Limite, CAB 48,JAI 469, PROCIV 194)

Reinforcing the EU¨s emergency and crisis response Reinforcing the EU¨s emergency and crisis response capacities (5228/06, Limite, CAB 1, PESC 21, JAI 12, capacities (5228/06, Limite, CAB 1, PESC 21, JAI 12, PROCIV 2)PROCIV 2)

Interim EU emergency and crisis coordination Interim EU emergency and crisis coordination arrangements in Brussels (8380/06, Limite, CAB 14, arrangements in Brussels (8380/06, Limite, CAB 14, JAI176, PROCIV 64JAI176, PROCIV 64

References Emergency and crisis coordination Emergency and crisis coordination

arrangements in Brussels (CCA) – Internal arrangements in Brussels (CCA) – Internal GSC standard operating procedures (SOPs) GSC standard operating procedures (SOPs) 8888/07, LIMITE, CAB188888/07, LIMITE, CAB18

Council conclusions on Lessons learnt from Council conclusions on Lessons learnt from the A/H1N1 pandemic – Health security in the the A/H1N1 pandemic – Health security in the European Union, 13 September 2010European Union, 13 September 2010

Council conclusions on Health Security Council conclusions on Health Security Committee, 22 February 2007Committee, 22 February 2007

http:/ec.europa.eu/health/ph-threats/http:/ec.europa.eu/health/ph-threats/bioterrorism/docs/keydo-bio-05-en.pdfbioterrorism/docs/keydo-bio-05-en.pdf

Thank you for your attention