Representatives of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EU Commission and the WHO/European Region acquainted themselves with Finland’s pandemic influenza preparedness from 12 to 15 June 2007. The aim of the visit was to investigate the degree of Finland’s preparedness for a pandemic, identify its strengths and development objects and encourage national experts to continue and share the work with other EU member states. A corresponding assessment is under way in other European countries.

On the basis of the visit the ECDC experts drew up together with the national experts a report with proposals for measures Joint Self-Assessment Report on the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Finland, June 2007.

The ECDC’s report describes the situation in Finland’s pandemic preparedness in summer 2007. The national preparedness plan for a pandemic influenza was completed towards the end of 2006. In connection with its publication, a number of information and education events were arranged in all the special responsibility districts at which representatives of the hospital districts were present. Thereafter the hospital districts have drawn up preparedness plans of their own.

According to the main observations in the ECDC’s report the greatest challenge for Finland is how to develop the national and regional instructions into applications that also function at the municipal level. The ECDC estimates that it will demand a couple of years of intensive work. The most important proposals for continued measures in the report concern the continuity and coordination of the national preparedness planning, as well as the operationality of the regional and local level plans. The report also stresses the importance of coordinating the preparedness of public health care with social services and private health care.