International Civil Aviation Organization COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE THROUGH AIR TRAVEL (CAPSCA) Third Global Coordination and Fourth CAPSCA Americas Meetings (Santiago, Chile, 8 12 October 2012) CAPSCA Africa Achievements Nancy Onyedim Technical Cooperation Officer, ESAF Regional Office Evalou Gnang Regional Officer/AT/TC, WACAF Regional Office
CAPSCA Africa Achievements OUTLINE Organisation, leadership, membership and partnerships Highlights of meeting conclusions Highlights of training events Highlights of State references and ICAO tools Highlights of assistance visits and exercises Planned Work Programme for 2013
Organisation, leadership, membership and partnerships CAPSCA-Africa was initiated by means of an aviation medicine seminar in Libreville, Gabon, in November 2007. Subsequently, two workshops held in 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal, 2008. A Recommendation of the Special AFI RAN meeting in Durban in 2008 encouraged States in the region to join CAPSCA
Organisation, leadership, membership and partnerships Intensified advocacy for increased and active participation in the CAPSCA project especially among the French speaking African States State letters distributed from the Dakar and Nairobi regional offices and other means
Organisation, leadership, membership and partnerships First Chairman of CAPSCA Africa was the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority 2008-2011). Current Chairman is Dr. Stephen Karau, Chief Medical Assessor and Aviation Medicine consultant of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. ICAO Technical Cooperation Officers in Dakar and Nairobi Regional Offices are Regional Coordinators CAPSCA Africa Partner Organisations include WHO/Africa Region, IATA, ACI, OCHA, UNWTO, IOM.
Organisation, leadership, membership and partnerships CAPSCA Africa Membership as at 30 September 2012 1. ANGOLA** 9. LESOTHO 17. SOUTH AFRICA 2. BENIN* 10. MALI* 18. TANZANIA 3. CAPE VERDE** 11. MAURITANIE* 16. UGANDA 4. COTE D IVOIRE* 12. MOZAMBIQUE** 20. ZAMBIA 5. DEM. REP OF 13. NIGER* 21. ZIMBABWE CONGO* 6. GABON* 14. NIGERIA 22. TOGO* 7. GAMBIA 15. REP. OF CENTRAL AFRICA* 8. KENYA 16. SENEGAL* *French speaking ** Portuguese speaking
CAPSA AFRICA MEMBERS as at 30 September 2012 Nile 0 Mauritania Senegal Gambia Mali Niger Togo Nigeria Benin Cote d Ivoire Rep. of Central Africa Portuguese speaking French speaking Gabon D.R. Congo Uganda Kenya Tanzania English speaking Angola Zambia Mozambique Zimbabwe 20 20 South Africa Lesotho
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions 2nd CAPSCA Global Meeting was held in Abuja from 10-13 October 2011 Kenya elected as Chairperson and Cote d Ivoire as Vice-Chairperson for a 3-year period A Technical Advisors Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader, were appointed.
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions Waiver of fee of US$5,000 introduced in October 2009 to cover the costs of assistance visits to States at their request, extended until the next meeting. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Qualifications and responsibilities for Technical Advisers recirculated and special appeal made to French speaking African States for nomination of candidates for training as Technical Advisors
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions The 3 rd CAPSCA Africa meeting held in Nairobi Kenya in June 2012, in conjunction with technical advisor training. States urged to fully meet WHO obligations at designated points of entry under the IHR (2005) by June 2014. Aircraft operators, their handling companies and service providers urged to make use of guidelines on the IATA website to assist training of relevant staff. Training in public health emergency response should be included for all personnel who have a role to play in implementation of a preparedness plan for public health emergencies. States encouraged to develop and share Memoranda of Understanding or (less formal) Letters of Agreement to formalize collaborative arrangements between the Public Health and Aviation sectors
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions 3 rd CAPSCA Africa meeting held in Nairobi Kenya in June 2012 Conclusions cont d State CAAs to make extra effort to establish a working relationship with their counterparts in the public health sector at national level. ICAO should continue to strengthen links between the ICAO Regional Offices and WHO Regional and national offices. State CAAs should develop national regulations that incorporate ICAO health related Standards and Recommended Practices.
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions 3 rd CAPSCA Africa meeting held in Nairobi Kenya in June 2012 Conclusions cont d Airport operators should consider requirements in the IHR (2005) and related guidance material as well as Airport Council International guidelines (see CAPSCA website for ACI link) when planning the location and facilities for assessment of travellers and possible subsequent isolation and quarantine requirements. Dissemination of information concerning an affected aircraft from the aerodrome ATC unit serving the destination to other stakeholders is to be determined by the State, utilizing existing procedures as far as possible.
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions Air Traffic Services Contingency Plans for Public Health Emergencies (developed in accordance with ICAO Annex 11 and Procedures for Air Navigation Services Air Traffic Management) should be harmonized with the airport Emergency Plan and the National aviation Public Health Emergency Plan. Importance of exercise, table top and real life, for testing the interrelated components of various preparedness plans in the aviation sector, e.g. National Public Health Emergency Plan for Aviation, Aerodrome Emergency Plan, Air Navigation Services Emergency Plan highlighted.
Highlights of Meeting Conclusions 3 rd CAPSCA Africa meeting held in Nairobi Kenya in June 2012 Conclusions cont d States encouraged to explore the possibility of obtaining the support of Regional Economic and other groupings to facilitate regional harmonization of preparedness planning. The meeting expressed support for the continuation of the CAPSCA Project beyond 2012 when the grant from the Central Fund for Influenza Action ends. Ghana provisionally offered to host the next CAPSCA Africa regional meeting, with a back up of Gabon.
Qualitative Achievements Extension of invitations to more stakeholders including international humanitarian organisations in the region to attend CAPSCA events increased awareness of the objectives and activities of ICAO in the field of preparedness planning for emergencies other than the usual aviation related incidents/accidents Close collaboration with the various stakeholders is preparing the foundation for continued cooperation and maintenance of contacts for any future eventuality. Active participation of the various stakeholders also creates the platform for exchange of experiences and benchmarking.
Highlights of training events Technical advisor training session in French held in Cote d Ivoire from 2-4 May 2012 followed by walk through demonstration visit at the Abidjan International airport on 4 May 2012 Twenty six participants from eight States (excluding the host State) and four International/Regional organisations, attended the workshop. Forty-six participants from the host State Walkthrough also served as OJT training for three assistance visit technical advisors.
CAPSCA Africa
Training needs identified Table top exercise was very well received and feedback indicated that more of such exercises should be included in the training programme. Another feedback called for more time to be allocated to the table top exercise More CAPSCA training workshops in French needed Guidelines on operation of Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for Public Health related emergencies needed.
Training needs identified Demand for tailored workshops on the subject of public health emergency management for airport operators, airlines, air navigation service providers, handling companies etc., through CAPSCA Standardization of the training programme and contents under the seal of ICAO would be useful and would facilitate more flexible use of instructors from different regions if necessary. Challenge of translating documents into the languages of the member States. ICAO documents not in Portuguese.
Highlights of State References and ICAO tools Samples from States that had developed or were in the process of developing MOU s or similar agreements to formalize the cooperation between the public health and aviation sectors with regard to management of public health related emergencies in aviation were of great benefit to CAPSCA members Another tool that has evolved out of assistance visits are videos shot during visits: used as training aids to concretize the lessons being taught in the lecture rooms. also enable critique of the exercise and correction of mistakes made
Highlights of Assistance Visits and Exercises Assistance Visit undertaken in Lesotho from 7-9 November 2011. Preparation for the Assistance Visits enabled the parties concerned to conduct self assessments on the status of their preparedness planning. Pre-visit coordination meetings enhance communications and collaboration among parties involved. Some States translated the pre-visit coordination committee into standing CAPSCA working groups
Highlights of Assistance Visits and Exercises Visit reports and recommendations were helpful to the States for improving the systems in place however, the issue of funding the implementation of the recommended corrective actions remains a major challenge both for public health and aviation sectors: Examples Airport examination and holding facilities, ambulances, deployment of public health personnel at airports Exercises involving aircraft were very found to be very helpful in revealing gaps in pandemic preparedness plans. At least two assistance visits, maybe three, scheduled to take place before the end of 2012.
Planned Work Programme for 2013 Continued advocacy for increased membership and requests for assistance visits. Advantage to be taken of every opportunity/regional aviation forum to highlight the importance of public health emergency preparedness planning in aviation with particular focus of the impending audit protocol questions based on ICAO health related SARPs Subject to availability of funds, more training workshops in French and tailored training courses CAPSCA Africa Meeting around June 2013