Publication: Capacity of Thailand to contain an emerging influenza pandemic
Issued Date
2009-03-01
Resource Type
ISSN
10806059
10806040
10806040
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-63849101247
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol.15, No.3 (2009), 423-432
Suggested Citation
Weerasak Putthasri, Jongkol Lertiendumrong, Pornthip Chompook, Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Richard Coker Capacity of Thailand to contain an emerging influenza pandemic. Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol.15, No.3 (2009), 423-432. doi:10.3201/eid1503.080872 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/28182
Research Projects
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Thesis
Title
Capacity of Thailand to contain an emerging influenza pandemic
Abstract
Southeast Asia will likely be the epicenter of the next influenza pandemic. To determine whether health system resources in Thailand are sufficient to contain an emerging pandemic, we mapped health system resources in 76 provinces. We used 3 prepandemic scenarios of clustered cases and determined resource needs, availability, and gaps. We extended this analysis to a scenario of a modest pandemic and assumed that the same standards of clinical care would be required. We found that gaps exist in many resource categories, even under scenarios in which few cases occur. Such gaps are likely to be profound if a seere pandemic occurs. These gaps exist in infrastructure, personnel and materials, and surveillance capacity. Policy makers must determine whether such resource gaps can realistically be closed, ideally before a pandemic occurs. Alternatively, explicit assumptions must be made regarding allocation of scarce resources, standards of care, and priority setting during a pandemic.