United Kingdom Launches Infectious Diseases Strategy.(Brief Article)

2002 JAN 30 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson has announced plans for a new National Infection Control and Health Protection Agency to streamline the services involved in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

The establishment of this new agency is a major recommendation of the first ever infectious diseases strategy which was recently published.

The new National Infection Control and Health Protection Agency will provide an integrated approach to all aspects of health protection including chemical and radiological hazards, as well as infectious disease control. This approach builds on experience of recent incidents such as the outbreak of foot and mouth disease and planning following the terrible events of September 11, 2001.

The agency will draw together a number of the bodies of expertise which currently provide health protection services including the Public Health Laboratory Service, the National Radiological Protection Board, The Center for Applied Microbiology and Research and the National Focus for Chemical Incidents. The new agency will work closely with regional and local public health services and the expert government advisory committees.

Other proposed actions include:

* A national expert panel to assess the threat from new and emerging infectious diseases;

* A strengthened and expanded system of infectious disease surveillance;