Influenza Essay Health Management Plan

Introduction

The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) was established by the Office of Health Protection in the Department of Health and Ageing after consultation, communication and feedback from advisory groups, peak bodies and experts in pandemic influenza.

Influenza (flu) is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract that is caused by influenza virus. It is a life-threatening illness. This viral infection causes serious illness and death around the world, especially in winter months, also called seasonal influenza every year.

Influenza is spread in two ways, one is respiratory spread when an infected person exhales, and their respiratory droplets can spread to the nose, mouth and eyes of an uninfected person.

Pandemic is used to describe an epidemic that affects a large population, usually across every continent. When a pandemic is caused due to influenza it is influenza pandemic.

Australia has a sequence of combined action plans which involve heath, whole of government and the jurisdiction to guide a synchronized response to an influenza pandemic. These plans provide a variety of options rather than one strict action. This allows flexibility in adapting the required plan as the disease develops and spreads. The load of an influenza pandemic is so much that it can take over then entire national health system.

2.Planning for an influenza pandemic

The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) is based on practice and international evidence, it is a national health plan for taking action in an influenza epidemic.

The main goal of this strategy and planning is to protect citizens of Australia and to decrease the effect of pandemic on the economy and social functioning, it is drawn in the National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic (NAP). Every sector of the government has their own goal, they aim to contribute to reduce the effects of influenza