Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 12/28/10

An annual report by non-profit Trust for America’s Health warns the United States is ill-prepared for attacks of agroterrorism or foodborne, animal-borne or water-borne diseases.

Federal, state and local funding cuts for public health were sited as part of the vulnerability equation.
The report identified gaps in: the public health workforce, the ability of the healthcare system to stretch to accommodate a massive surge in patients, the ability to react quickly to a bioterrorism or disease outbreak, adequate surveillance to react quickly, the ability to work across communities and adequate vaccine and pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing.  

Key findings included:
• 21 states were not able to rapidly identify disease-causing E.coli O157:H7 and submit the lab results in 90 percent of cases within four days during 2007-08.
• 33 states and D.C. cut funding for public health from FY 2008-09 to FY 2009-10.
• Seven states can not currently share data electronically with health care providers.
• 10 states do not have an electronic syndromic surveillance system that can report and exchange information.
• Six states reported that pre-identified staff were not able to acknowledge notification of emergency exercises or incidents within the target time of 60 minutes at least twice during 2007-08.
• Six states did not activate their emergency operations center a minimum of two times in 2007-08.
• Two states did not develop at least two After-Action Report/Improvement Plans (AAR/IPs) after exercises or real incidents in 2007-08.
• 25 states do not mandate all licensed child care facilities have a multi-hazard written evacuation and relocation plan.
• Three states and D.C. report not having enough staffing capacity to work five, 12-hour days for six to eight weeks in response to an infectious disease outbreak, such as novel influenza A H1N1.
• One state decreased their Laboratory Response Network for Chemical Threats (LRN-C) chemical capability from Aug.10, 2009 to Aug. 9, 2010.

The report was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
To view the report click here.  

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