Health Commissioner Encourages Influenza Town Hall Meetings

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - State Health Commissioner Judy Monroe, M.D. is encouraging counties to host town hall meetings this summer to help Hoosiers prepare for the possibility of an influenza (flu) pandemic.

"Given the current heightened awareness about influenza and the uncertainty about what we can expect from the flu season this Fall, it is an ideal time to get the public engaged in pandemic influenza planning," said Dr. Monroe.  "To be a prepared society, every one of us needs to actively participate."

Dr. Monroe says the state has been engaged in pandemic influenza preparedness planning for years.  On March 23, 2006, the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security co-hosted "Indiana Prepares: Pandemic Influenza State Summit" at Purdue University in West Lafayette.  U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and senior officials from other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Agriculture, participated in the event with state officials. 

Following the 2006 Summit, Dr. Monroe encouraged local health departments to host pandemic influenza summits.  By 2007, most of the 94 local health departments had hosted county-level summits with the support of the State Department of Health, Purdue Extension Services, and local hospitals around the state.  The State Department of Health developed and distributed pandemic influenza toolkits to every local health department and hospital in Indiana to help with the summits and preparedness planning.

Once again, Dr. Monroe is advocating for local town hall meetings so Indiana communities can review and update their pandemic influenza plans.  She says local health departments would most likely take the lead in hosting these events, but the goal would be for representatives from public safety and emergency management, business, schools, hospitals, the faith community, and the public attend the town hall meetings to revisit those plans.

"The key to effective public health practice is to have continuous quality improvement," said Dr. Monroe.  "I am proud of how Indiana responded to the current H1N1 flu outbreak and applaud the outstanding work of our local, state, and federal partners.  However, we also have an incredible teachable moment as a result of the current outbreak.  If we don't seize this moment, we will lose an opportunity to improve upon what I think are good plans."

Joe Wainscott, executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, said, "Thankfully the affects of the H1N1 virus have not been as severe as they could have been.  We need to continue planning for all types of emergencies - including potential return of the virus in the fall and spring and summer severe weather.  A preparedness plan is important for all types of emergencies. "
 
Dr. Monroe says the Indiana State Department of Health will use lessons learned from the current outbreak to update the pandemic influenza toolkit and the agency's pandemic influenza plan.

For more information on pandemic influenza, visit the Indiana State Department of Health's Web site at: www.statehealth.in.gov and click on "Pandemic Influenza Home."  For more information about how to prepare for a pandemic or other emergency, go to www.in.gov/dhs