Bhutan

National Multi-Sector Pandemic Simulation Exercise Closing Statement by Ms. Claire Van der Vaeren, UN Resident Coordinator

National Multi-Sector Pandemic Simulation Exercise
Closing Statement by Ms. Claire Van der Vaeren, UN Resident Coordinator

Wangchuk Resort, Taba, Thimphu
30 March 2011

Dasho Penden Wangchuk, Secretary of the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs,

Members of the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan Committees and Inter-Ministerial Task-force,

Representatives from Ministries and Essential sectors, 

UN Colleagues and International Partners,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Congratulations on concluding a productive Simulation Exercise.

It was the first Simulation Exercise involving a wide range of sectoral stakeholders, including human health, animal health, and disaster management authorities, the Cabinet Secretariat, Ministries, law enforcement agencies, insurance, the energy sector and the media.

Since the onset of the project of support to strengthen Bhutan's national pandemic preparedness across sectors, there have been a number of meetings, workshops, trainings and now this Simulation Exercise, which have built on one another and contributed to establishing a strong base for future multi-sectoral dialogue and cooperation in addressing pandemic and other disasters.

Through this Simulation Exercise, you had the opportunity to understand better a) the actions required under the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan and their implications, b) capacities and limitations of the health-related sectors in pandemic response, and c) potential resources and capacities of non-health, essential services to support health authorities involved in the pandemic preparedness and response.  The scenarios helped visualize possible threats and impacts of outbreaks of H1N1 and other or new hybrid virus strains and identify remaining challenges in capacities and resources of relevant sectors in the context of the existing plans and guidelines.  

I believe the discussions in yesterday and today's Simulation activities were not limited only to pandemic response, but also considered issues related to multi-hazard disaster management, which is important in the context of Bhutan.      

As we saw in the presentation of the government discussion address a range of topics         

Allow me to recap the key points that have come out of the Simulation Exercise:

1. The Plan requires not only clarifying roles of essential sectors, but also identifying interdependencies and considering implications of disruptions of one sector on other sectors. This is equally valid for pandemic and other types of disasters. The Plan needs to consider alternative supply and provision of essential services to the for health sector in addition to ensuring business community for all essential sectors.   In this respect there should be agreement in advance, through appropriate mechanism, for emergency provision of all key services, as well as procedures for fast tracking supply and delivery of essential drugs and commodities, permits, etc. 
2. Re-consider resources and locations to accommodate surge medical and non-medical capacities and actions that may be required during a pandemic. Also, safety and security of front health and other sector workers during situations of emergency, such as a pandemic should be taken into account.
3. Effective command and control structure and their response during different phases of pandemic should be clarified.
4. Clarification of "One UN" procedures in terms of effective and efficient mobilization of technical and financial assistance to support the RGoB.
5. Effectiveness of consideration of implications of social distancing measures, such as school closures vis-à-vis social and economical impacts.
6. Implication on treatment and care of not only Bhutanese nationals, but foreign national and tourists.
7. Importance of bilateral cooperation with India and other regional institutions in terms of cooperation and support in pandemic preparedness and response.
8. Finally, the most important point is how to establish and sustain funding mechanisms for pandemic preparedness and response, in terms of regular funding for preparedness and mitigation, as well as contingency funding.

Importance   of sustaining the momentum preparedness beauty of this exercise is that it has led to a series of recommendation to raise   the National pandemic Preparedness Plan which will continue to engage the group.  But it will be important also.

The outcomes and recommendations from the Simulation Exercise should contribute to updating and revising the existing National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan, the Plan of Action and to developing sector Business Continuity Plans.

Thank you again to all participants for your active contribution to this important exercise.      

Tashi Delek!