Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI)

This plan outlines Australia’s strategy to manage an influenza pandemic and minimise its impact on the health of Australians and our health system.

Page last updated: 12 September 2014

Foreword to the AHMPPI

The Australian Government is committed to keeping Australia secure against potential threats. The Government continues to fund initiatives such as the National Medical Stockpile, the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Influenza Research and Reference, and contracts for supply of pandemic vaccine to protect Australians.

However, it is inevitable that the world will face another influenza pandemic. While there is no certainty about where or when the next one will occur, Australia must be prepared. An influenza pandemic represents a significant risk to Australia. It has the potential to cause high levels of disease and death and disrupt our community socially and economically.

This plan - the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (AHMPPI) - outlines Australia’s strategy to manage an influenza pandemic and minimise its impact on the health of Australians and our health system. The new and improved AHMPPI takes a significantly different approach to the previous plan and outlines the measures that the health sector as a whole would consider taking in response to an influenza pandemic. Continuous and extensive consultation with states and territories and other relevant stakeholders has enabled feedback to shape the development of the document.

In 2009, the earlier revision of the AHMPPI was used to guide Australia’s response to the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. This latest version of the AHMPPI draws on lessons learned in 2009 and developments in the approach to pandemic response within the international community.

Key aspects of the new approach include:

  • wherever possible, using existing systems and governance mechanisms, leveraging seasonal influenza response mechanisms to respond to a pandemic;
  • applying a flexible approach, which can be scaled and varied to meet the needs at the time;
  • making decisions based on available evidence;
  • linking with emergency response arrangements;
  • emphasising communication activities as a key tool in managing the response; and
  • providing detailed guidance on collecting national surveillance data.

The AHMPPI will continue to be updated as new clinical evidence is developed. While there has been significant work in Australia to prepare for an influenza pandemic, we cannot afford to be complacent. This plan provides the guidance and a framework for leadership so we can make sure we are as prepared as possible to deal with an influenza pandemic.

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AHMPPI

A full version of the AHMPPI can be accessed below

Commissioned Reports

The evidence compendium of the AHMMPI contains a series of commissioned reports including literature reviews, modelling and an analysis of the assumptions underlying pandemic planning for the AHMPPI. The findings of these reports have been used to develop the approach taken in the AHMPPI, but as they may also be useful in their own right to provide greater detail of the evidence and analyses accumulated they are provided in the compendium in full. Full copies of these reports can be requested by emailing Pandemic Planning.

  • Evidence compendium and advice on social distancing and other related measures for response to an influenza pandemic.
  • Development of decision support documents to assist decision making during a pandemic influenza response: evidence for personal protective equipment and antiviral measures.
  • Mathematical modelling and Research of Personal Protective Equipment for use in a Health Emergency.
  • Development of options on how to define the concept of pandemic impact for Australian purposes: Literature review.
  • Development of options on how to define the concept of pandemic impact for Australian purposes: Consultation and Workplan.
  • Development of options on how to define the concept of pandemic impact for Australian purposes: Report on simulation modelling.
  • Evidence and advice on candidate pandemic influenza vaccines for response to an influenza pandemic.
  • Mathematical modelling of antivirals for a public health response to an influenza pandemic Reporting Deliverable 1.
  • Mathematical modelling of antivirals for a public health response to an influenza pandemic Reporting Deliverable 2.
  • Mathematical modelling of antivirals for a public health response to an influenza pandemic Reporting Deliverable 3.
  • Development of an evidence compendium and advice on travel-related measures for response to an influenza pandemic and other communicable diseases.

Evidence Summaries

A series of summaries have also been developed  in which the key information from the commissioned reports relating to the effectiveness of public health measures has been brought together to make it more readily accessible to decision makers. Summaries of the commissioned reports can be accessed below:

Accessibility Issues

Should you encounter issues in accessing the information contained either on this web page or within the downloadable documents please email Pandemic Planning.

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