Influenza Pandemic: Sustaining Focus on the Nation's Planning and Preparedness Efforts Page: 2 of 58
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GAO
Accountability. Integrity. Reliability
Highlights
Highlights of GAO-09-334, a report to the
Chairman, Committee on Homeland
Security, House of Representatives
Why GAO Did This Study
GAO has conducted a body of work
over the past several years to help
the nation better prepare for,
respond to, and recover from a
possible influenza pandemic, which
could result from a novel strain of
influenza virus for which there is
little resistance and which
therefore is highly transmissible
among humans. GAO's work has
pointed out that while the previous
administration had taken a number
of actions to plan for a pandemic,
including developing a national
strategy and implementation plan,
much more needs to be done.
However, national priorities are
shifting as a pandemic has yet to
occur, and other national issues
have become more immediate and
pressing. Nevertheless, an
influenza pandemic remains a real
threat to our nation and the world.
For this report, GAO synthesized
the results of 11 reports and two
testimonies issued over the past 3
years using six key thematic areas:
(1) leadership, authority, and
coordination; (2) detecting threats
and managing risks; (3) planning,
training, and exercising; (4)
capacity to respond and recover;
(5) information sharing and
communication; and (6)
performance and accountability.
GAO also updated the status of
recommendations in these reports.
This report does not make new
recommendations. However, the
report discusses the status of
GAO's prior recommendations on
the nation's planning and
preparedness for a pandemic.
To view the full product, including the scope
and methodology, click on GAO-09-334.
For more information, contact Bernice
Steinhardt at (202) 512-6543 or
steinhardtb@gao.gov.INFLUENZA PANDEMIC
Sustaining Focus on the Nation's Planning and
Preparedness EffortsWhat GAO Found
Leadership roles and responsibilities need to be clarified and tested,
and coordination mechanisms could be better utilized. Shared
leadership roles and responsibilities between the Departments of Health and
Human Services (HHS) and Homeland Security (DHS) and other entities are
evolving, and will require further testing and exercising before they are well
understood. Although there are mechanisms in place to facilitate coordination
between federal, state, and local governments and the private sector to
prepare for an influenza pandemic, these could be more fully utilized.
Efforts are underway to improve the surveillance and detection of
pandemic-related threats, but targeting assistance to countries at the
greatest risk has been based on incomplete information. Steps have
been taken to improve international disease surveillance and detection efforts.
However, information gaps limit the capacity for comprehensive comparisons
of risk levels by country.
Pandemic planning and exercising has occurred, but planning gaps
remain. The United States and other countries, as well as states and
localities, have developed influenza pandemic plans. Yet, additional planning
needs still exist. For example, the national strategy and implementation plan
omitted some key elements, and HHS found many major gaps in states'
pandemic plans.
Further actions are needed to address the capacity to respond to and
recover from an influenza pandemic. An outbreak will require additional
capacity in many areas, including the procurement of additional patient
treatment space and the acquisition and distribution of medical and other
critical supplies, such as antivirals and vaccines for an influenza pandemic.
Federal agencies have provided considerable guidance and pandemic-
related information, but could augment their efforts. Federal agencies,
such as HHS and DHS, have shared information in a number of ways, such as
through Web sites and guidance, but state and local governments and private
sector representatives would welcome additional information on vaccine
distribution and other topics.
Performance monitoring and accountability for pandemic
preparedness needs strengthening. Although certain performance
measures have been established in the National Pandemic Implementation
Plan to prepare for an influenza pandemic, these measures are not always
linked to results. Further, the plan does not contain information on the
financial resources needed to implement it.
GAO has made 23 recommendations in its reports-13 of these have been
implemented and 10 remain outstanding. Continued leadership focus on
pandemic preparedness remains vital, as the threat has not diminished.United States Government Accountability Office
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United States. Government Accountability Office. Influenza Pandemic: Sustaining Focus on the Nation's Planning and Preparedness Efforts, report, February 26, 2009; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc300619/m1/2/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.