Outbreak of Swine Flu grips the world

I have been in crisis mode all weekend and today. Busy providing support and guidance to our global membership and operations on how to communicate about the emergency of the so-called swine flu in Mexico. As I write, cases are now confirmed in the US, Canada, New Zealand and Spain with many other reported cases from around the world.

We can also imagine that surveillance and monitoring capacities in developing countries will mean that alot of swine flu cases may go undetected. It has been a very interesting experience working closely with our health experts, liasing with the World Health Organization (WHO), all in an attempt to get our messaging right and to provide good support to our member Red Cross and Red Crescent around the world.

At the start of such a potential pandemic it is generally advised to exercise caution in your public communication and not to contribute to any destabilizing over-reaction or panic due to sensational messages. At times like this it is usually advisable to stick to the science and leave the hyperbole to the tabloids.

At times like this it is also gratifying to see how crucial and effective organizations such as WHO and CDC are in providing the knowledge and direction for a global response to what is in reality a potentially severe and life-threthening pandemic which will be extremely difficult to stop.

This is the gist of our public communication issued first thing today in Geneva - alot more expected on this topic which has truly gripped the media and public's imagination.

IFRC: Swine flu outbreak is “a situation of immediate and serious concern”
27 April 2009

The confirmed Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico, and the reported cases in the United States, Canada, Brazil, The United Kingdom, France, Spain, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, is a situation of serious concern for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The IFRC shares the World Health Organization’s analysis that there is a potential for swine flu to develop into a global pandemic affecting a much larger geographical area of the world.

“This is a situation of immediate and serious concern,” says Bekele Geleta, Secretary General of the IFRC, “Our national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, supported by IFRC health specialists, and working closely with their governments at the national level, are on full global alert. We will spare no resources in tackling this threat full on.”

In Mexico, the most affected country so far, Mexican Red Cross put its volunteers from 486 local branches in high alert, working closely with the authorities to limit the spread of the disease.

The worldwide network of Red Cross and Red Crescent has invested heavily in recent years in pandemic preparedness and provides a solid foundation at the community level to expedite critical alerts and actions. This is a key contribution to a well coordinated response at the local level that is in line with global priorities as well as existing practices and recommendations at the national level.

In addition, the IFRC has the ability to swiftly mobilize well-trained volunteers based in communities at risk which is a vital capability when dealing with pandemic threats. “At this moment in time we are on full alert” according to Dominique Praplan, head of the IFRC’s health department in Geneva, “and are preparing for all eventualities”.

“The best case scenario right now would be for national level epidemics to be managed which would lessen the likelihood of a widespread global pandemic. The worst case scenario is for the epidemic to develop into a severe, potentially life-threatening pandemic. If this transpires,” says Praplan, “the IFRC will apply the full vigour and commitment of its resources and expertise to join a global effort”.

If the threat of pandemics is to be effectively reduced it requires the international community to work in partnership. The IFRC works in close coordination with the World Health Organization, other United Nations agencies and with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at regional and global levels, to ensure a complementary approach.

/PC

Waking up to the life-saving power of information

Timely, relevant information can spell the difference between life and death when disasters strike. Survivors need to know where health clinics have been set up or where food is being distributed. They need to know how to trace missing relatives, find shelter and get clean water. But in many emergencies, such information is limited for those who need it most. There is also a significant but narrowing gap in getting vital information, made possible through more accurate early warning forecasting systems, to communities at risk before disasters strike.

When an emergency situation breaks out people are often caught unawares. Typically, affected populations don’t know how to get help. They feel lost and abandoned and aren’t accurately informed of risks and health hazards. Rumours, myths and false information go unchecked, adding to the uncertainty and insecurity. People aren’t empowered to make good decisions and as such have no influence over the aid response. They are often omitted from the life-making decisions that directly affect them.

Important changes are however taking place in how communities affected by disasters are engaging with humanitarian organizations. Aid workers have long realized that people caught up in a crisis are not helpless victims but a potential first line of response and a potent source of local knowledge. The challenge has often been to effectively tap into this potential resource. At the same time, humanitarian organizations are partnering more and more with communities prone to weather-related disasters to put in place effective early warning sytems to minimize impact if calamity strikes. This is happening right now in countries such as Haiti, Mozambique and Vietnam.

Today, through a combination of traditional social mobilization, new media and better forecasting technologies, disaster-prone communities and aid agencies can better share and streamline information in an effort to ensure those who need it most get it first. Increasingly, populations affected by disasters are now empowered as those best-placed to help humanitarian organizations untangle the complexity of an emergency and to identify the most urgent needs in their communities.

In the tsunami affected area of Banda Aceh in Indonesia for instance the Irish Red Cross runs regular radio programmes based on thousands of phone calls, text messages and emails received from the local communitiy. This relatively low-tech service has not only proven to ensure a more relevant and effective response to the humanitarian needs as defined by the community itself but also holds the aid community and local authorities to account. It is a true two-way communication which promotes transparent, accurate information and places all participants on an equal footing. In time, humanitarian organizations will need to be every bit as accountable to those they are supporting and assisting as they are to those who provide funding for aid operations.

The days of viewing people caught up in conflict or disasters as mere “victims” are ending. Communities unfortunate enough to have to endure a humanitarian crisis should not be viewed as passive recipients of aid but people who need to be empowered as the first line of response. They need to take a central role in determining their own recovery; their engagement, through genuine grassroots communication, is the way to achieve this. It seems that aid agencies are finally waking up to the life-saving power of Information and treating it as a service and assistance every bit as valuable as wheat flour or tarpaulins.

/PC