Using lessons learned during the COVID-19 response, Indonesia has reviewed and updated its national pandemic influenza preparedness plan (NIPP) and strengthened public health emergency capacities and activities for responding to the current pandemic.
The reviewing and updating exercise, which was done in August 2020 using PIP Partnership Contribution funds, was part of Indonesia’s response to recommendations from a Country COVID-19 Intra-Action Review. Its basic purpose was to improve operational readiness for any future pandemic using the current pandemic as a real time simulator.
Supported by WHO, the Ministry of Health and National Disaster Agency reviewed and updated the existing NIPP plan through a series of national and provincial workshops and discussions involving stakeholders from multiple sectors. Participants included health officers from six selected provinces (Bali, South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, North Sumatera, DKI Jakarta & Riau) as well as national disaster management agency representatives and other key stakeholders.
Participants worked together to identify lessons learned from the COVID-19 response and used these to propose revisions to the NIPP. Their proposals focused on outlining strategies for effective pandemic preparedness and response, identifying ideal roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, and mapping resources to determine the adequate levels. The proposed revisions were designed to translate a general pandemic preparedness and response plan into a specific disaster management framework for the Indonesian context. Following its revision, the new NIPP plan was tested using a scenario-based table-top exercise.
The newly revised plan covers four areas of activity – preparedness, emergency alert, emergency response and emergency transition – and will be instrumental in supporting Indonesia to improve its ability to prepare and respond to the emergency of any future pandemic influenza virus or other novel respiratory pathogen.