Decision on Cross Border Health Threats and intersectoral collaboration

Avian Influenza Preparedness Workshop

6 and 7 October 2015

ECDC, Stockholm

Franz Karcher

European Commission

DG Health and Food Safety

Decision 1082/2013/EU on serious cross-border threats to health - the scope

– Threats of biological origin, including

– communicable diseases

– non-communicable diseases caused by bio toxins or

other biological agents,

– Special health issues: antimicrobial resistance, health

care-related infections

– Threats of chemical origin

– Threats caused by environmental factors

– Threats of unknown origin

– Events which may constitute public health emergencies of

international concern determined pursuant to the IHR (2005)

2

Decision 1082/2013/EU on serious cross-border threats to health - the pillars (1)

enhance coordinated EU response at EU level by providing solid legal mandate to Health Security Committee

• HSC

• meets regularly to manage major health events such as polio, MERS CoV, vaccine shortage, migrants

response to Ebola

• 30 teleconferences

• information for travellers

• key media messages available in all official EU languages

• questionnaire to assess the state of preparedness in EU Member States

• guidance on procedures for airports and public health authorities

• EU case definition for reporting cases at EU level

• information on infection control in hospital settings and on personal protective equipment

3

Decision 1082/2013/EU - the pillars (2)

strengthen preparedness and response planning at EU level

• MS have reported to Commission on their state of preparedness and response planning by use of template adopted by Commission

• Commission compiled confidential summary report on the basis of replies

• strengths and weaknesses

• discussion in Health Security Committee to provide guidance how to address gaps

• working group on preparedness and response planning to follow up and report back

4

Decision 1082/2013/EU – the pillars (3)

• joint procurement

• voluntary mechanism for Member States to jointly procure medical countermeasures

• so far 22 Member States signed the agreement legally based on Decision 1082/2013/EU

• covers medicines, medical devices, and other services and goods to address serious cross-border threats to health

• procedures under way for pandemic vaccines and personal protective equipment for highly dangerous human pathogens such as Ebola

5

Decision 1082/2013/EU - the pillars (4)

establish epidemiological surveillance of communicable diseases and related health issues

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in in charge

• interlinks the Commission, ECDC and Member States

• covers 47 communicable disease and antimicrobial resistance and nosocomial infections

• case definitions in place

• continuous updates as required by means of implementing acts

6

Decision 1082/2013/EU - the pillars (5)

provide for risk assessment

• Commission to make available risk assessments to coordinate response

• ECDC, other EU agencies or scientific committees to prepare depending on nature of threat

• ECDC prepared rapid risk assessments prepared namely for MERS CoV, poliomyelitis in vulnerable countries and Ebola epidemic

7

Decision 1082/2013/EU - the pillars (6)

establish an Early Warning and Response System and rules for alert notification

• scope to all serious cross-border threats to health

• Commission and Member States to alert, assess public health risks and determine required measures

• Member States and Commission to notify alerts in line with defined criteria

• links with other EU rapid alert systems at EU level

• specific functionality to report an event under IHR

• 'selective exchange' functionality used during Ebola to coordinate medical evacuation of patients

8

achieving intersectoral collaboration and action beyond health

• scenario exercises

• test preparedness and response planning

• improve intersectoral collaboration

• 'Quicksilver' on 24-25 September 2014

• follow up exercise 29 September – 30 October 2015

9

achieving intersectoral collaboration and action beyond health

• Conference on " lessons learned for public health from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa

• objectives:

• identify learning points to strengthen EU health security

• prepare EU better for rapid response

• identify public health support for other policies and other critical sectors

• outcome to inform conclusions of the Health Council under Luxembourg Presidency

10

achieving intersectoral collaboration and action beyond health - conclusions

Commission support of IHR implementation and intersectoralcollaboration

• Decision 1082/2013/EU main instrument to assist Member States in capacity building and coherent implementation IHR

• Commission regularly carries out scenario exercises to test intersectoral collaboration together with key players

• Ebola lessons learnt conference with strong focus on intersectoralcollaboration

• Council conclusions a further opportunity to strengthen collaboration with other sectors

• Commission supports recommendations of Stocking interim assessment report on lessons learnt from Ebola

11

Collaboration with animal health sector

• Health threats unit is monitoring through animal health unit Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS) and through WHO and ECDC the situation worldwide.

•

• In case of need, as happened a number of times since 2003 health threats unit works with MS through HSC and EWRS to:

inform MS health authorities

trigger coordination of laboratories to reinforce surveillance in the EU

align messages to the general public

coordinate at EU level health measures to be taken to respond to the event

•

12