08 November 2001
Text: U.S. Joins Ottawa Plan to Fight Bioterrorism
(Calls for international cooperation to protect public health) (670)
The United States and six other countries have joined a plan to
increase international cooperation in preparing for and responding to
attacks of bioterrorism.
According to a November 7 press release, U.S. Secretary of Health and
Human Services Tommy Thompson endorsed "The Ottawa Plan" at a meeting
on public health and readiness issues in Ottawa hosted by Canadian
Minister of Health Allan Rock. Also endorsing the plan, which was
drafted by Canada, were officials from the United Kingdom, France,
Germany, Mexico, Japan and the World Health Organization.
Secretary Thompson contacted health ministers from throughout the
world to discuss ways of cooperating to protect their countries'
citizens from bioterrorism following the September 11 terrorist
attacks in the United States and the subsequent cases of anthrax
infection.
Countries supporting The Ottawa Plan agree in principle, among other
things, to explore joint cooperation in procuring vaccines and
antibiotics; engage in constructive dialogue regarding regulatory
frameworks for the development of vaccines, and in particular smallpox
vaccines; and share emergency preparedness and response plans and
consider joint training and planning.
Following is the text of the press release:
(begin text)
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2001
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
SECRETARY THOMPSON JOINS HEALTH MINISTERS IN 'OTTAWA PLAN'
Countries Forge New Partnership to Strengthen Public Health and
National Security
OTTAWA -- HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson joined health ministers from
six countries today in agreeing to increase international cooperation
in preparing for and responding to attacks of bioterrorism.
Secretary Thompson endorsed "The Ottawa Plan," which calls for forging
"a new partnership to address the critical issues of protecting public
health and security."
"Diseases used in a bioterrorist attack do not respect national
borders," Secretary Thompson said. "We are reaffirming today our
nations' commitments to work together to strengthen our public-health
readiness and response to bioterrorism. We must maximize our
collective resources and expertise to improve our health security -
nationally, regionally and globally."
Canadian Minister of Health Allan Rock hosted the ministers today for
a four-hour discussion of public health and readiness issues, which
have gained prominence since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the
United States and the subsequent cases of anthrax infection.
Others involved include: John Hutton, Minister of State for Health,
United Kingdom; Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Health, France; Dr.
Julio Frenk, Secretary of Health, Mexico; Klaus Theo Schröder, Vice
Minister of Health, Germany; Jungoro Kondo, Vice Minister of Health,
Labor and Welfare, Japan; and Dr. David Heymann, executive director of
the World Health Organization (WHO) Program on Communicable Diseases.
Following the attacks, Secretary Thompson contacted health ministers
from throughout the world to discuss ways of cooperating to protect
their countries' citizens from bioterrorism.
The countries supporting the Ottawa Plan, drafted by Canada, agreed in
principle to:
-- explore joint cooperation in procuring vaccines and antibiotics;
-- engage in a constructive dialogue regarding regulatory frameworks
for the development of vaccines and in particular smallpox vaccines;
-- further support the World Health Organization disease surveillance
network and WHO's efforts to develop a coordinated strategy for
disease outbreak containment;
-- share emergency preparedness and response plans, including contact
lists, and consider joint training and planning;
-- improve linkages to Level-Four laboratories in those countries
which have them;
-- undertake close cooperation on preparedness and response to
radio-nuclear events; and
-- share surveillance data from national public health laboratories
and information on real or threatened contamination of food supplies,
along with information on risk mitigation strategies to ensure safe
food supplies. Each of the countries agreed to designate a senior
official to be the point person to pursue the cooperative efforts.
"The Ottawa Plan underscores the urgent need to strengthen
public-health preparedness," Secretary Thompson said. "Most
importantly, it provides countries with a framework to move forward on
concrete action."
(end text)
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