The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan: an evolution to the approach for national communicable disease emergencies

Advance planning for a large-scale and widespread health emergency is required to optimize health care delivery during an influenza pandemic. The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan (CPIP) is an example of a successful communicable disease emergency plan that ensures a national, coordinated approach to preparedness, response and recovery activities in the event of an influenza pandemic. The general concepts incorporated into the CPIP may be utilised in the contingency planning for a bioterrorism event or other communicable disease emergencies, including: a national, coordinated approach in planning; an emergency management structure to conduct the response; the use of common terminology to facilitate communication and response coordination, and the establishment of specific technical, communications and operational response groups and networks in advance. The multinational outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 offered the opportunity for the testing of these concepts. The experiences and lessons learnt during the SARS response may be utilised to strengthen communicable disease preparedness and response capacity.