Arizona Is Ready To Respond To Emergency Situations

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 09 Dec 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Public health leadership plays a critical role in many potential disasters and emergencies. Because of this, Arizona's Department of Health Services has a taken proactive stance to protect the people of Arizona.

To ensure the state is ready to respond to from influenza to a large-scale disaster, the Department works with public, private, and non-profit entities across the state. ADHS shared $22 million with partners like county health departments, tribes, hospitals, mobile medical response, clinics, and emergency services in the last year. A major focus of ADHS is to ensure that our leadership is prepared to communicate with the public and our partners, and is ready with integrated action plans to respond to emergency situations.

Two federal agencies are charged with protecting public health: Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control, both of which measure Arizona's preparedness. HHS recently awarded a score of 86% for Arizona's Pandemic Influenza Plan; the national average is 66%. The CDC issued it's assessment of Arizona's preparedness earlier this year and gave the state 19 out 20. (http://emergency.cdc.gov/publications/feb08phprep/section2/Arizona.asp)

"For us, the CDC is the gold standard for measuring our progress in public health readiness," said Will Humble, Deputy Director for Public Health. "This year's CDC report had us passing with flying colors, and we're proud of that."

The Trust for America's Health will release a report on Tuesday citing five areas Arizona is well prepared and five where it asserts Arizona has some work to do. The non-profit group drew its information from public sources. In at least one case, this unfortunately means they may not have had all the latest information.

Arizona scored well in the TFAH report for Mass Distribution of the Strategic National Stockpile; Pandemic Influenza Planning; Biosurveillance; Health Care Volunteer Emergency Liability Protection; and Funding Commitment.

Following are areas where Arizona did not pass the TFAH report:

- Food Safety - Detection and Diagnosis: The report averaged data from 2004-2006 of diseases reported and identified and said the state identified less than 44%. However data from 2006-2007 shows Arizona identified 76% of pathogens - well above the national average.

- Public Health Laboratories - Lab Pickup and Delivery Services: The report says the state must have the capacity to deliver and receive lab samples 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ADHS did not receive this point because we send low-priority samples by delivery service rather than by courier; however, the Department of Health Services has an agreement with the Department of Public Safety to deliver what it determines to be priority samples at any time of day. A contract for a private courier system would have cost the state $850,000 in unnecessary expenses.

- Mass Distribution - Antiviral stockpiling: The state spent $1 million on antiviral medication providing a stockpile of almost 70,000 treatments. The state has an excellent symptom reporting system that will ensure early detection to spark the pandemic response plan; thereby reducing the need for the antivirals. However, Arizona did not receive this point because our purchase was for less than 50% of our allocation.

- Medical Reserve Corps Readiness: Arizona has nine very active Medical Reserve Corps spread throughout the state. Since there was no state coordinator, TFAH counted this against the state. There is one in place now.

- Entity Emergency Liability Protection: Arizona is examining similar legislation in other states since there is no national model. It appears we can address this issue with a change in our Good Samaritan Law if it is decided this is the right approach for our state.

Overall, the people of Arizona need to know the state is well prepared for any type of emergency.

Source
Laura Oxley
Public Information Officer
Office of the Director
Arizona Department of Health
http://www.azdhs.gov