The World Health Organisation (WHO) has drawn up and launched on 11 December 2008 a document that will help hospitals assess their preparedness in case of pandemic influenza.

To improve the readiness of health facilities to cope with the challenges of an epidemic, a pandemic or any other emergency or disaster, hospital managers need to make sure the relevant generic priority action is initiated.

This document aims to provide a checklist of the key actions to be carried out in the context of a continuing hospital emergency preparedness process.

Taking the form of a complete checklist, the 37-page document recommends actions in many aspects of pandemic management including:

• Communication
• Continuity of essential health services and patient care
• Surge capacity
• Human resources
• Essential support services
• Infection prevention and control
• Case management
• Surveillance: early warning and monitoring

Pharmaceutical products are part of the section 6 of the document which suggests actions such as:

• Consult with authorities to ensure the continuing provision of essential medications and supplies (e.g. institutional and central stockpiles, emergency agreements with local suppliers, donations).
• Assess the quality of contingency items prior to purchase; request quality certification.
• Establish contingency agreements (e.g. memorandum of understanding, mutual aid agreement) with vendors to ensure the procurement and prompt delivery of equipment, supplies and other resources in times of shortage.

• Identify physical space within the hospital for the storage and stockpiling of additional supplies. Factors to consider include accessibility, security, ambient temperature, ventilation, light exposure and humidity. Ensure an uninterrupted cold chain for essential items requiring refrigeration, for instance.

The whole document is available here.