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The Government has proposed to increase the stockpile of antiviral for dealing with a possible influenza pandemic from 3.7 million capsules to more than 20 million in phases as an integral part of the Preparedness Plan for Influenza Pandemic with particular reference to avian influenza.

A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (March 8) that the antiviral stockpile proposal was in line with the recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and would contribute to a more favourable perception of Hong Kong as a safe place for the international community to do business.

"The proposal would also contribute to the sustainability principle of providing a living and working environment and pursuing policies which promote and protect the physical and mental health and safety of the people of Hong Kong," the spokesman said.

According to WHO, stockpiling of drugs in advance was currently the only way to ensure sufficient supplies at the start of a pandemic and governments with adequate resources should consider pursuing this option as a precautionary measure.

Since late December 2004, human cases of avian influenza has claimed 13 lives in Vietnam. WHO has expressed concern that the avian influenza virus may reassort its genes with those from a human influenza virus, thereby acquiring the ability to move easily from human to human and thus triggering a pandemic.

The spokesman noted the impact of the pandemic on Hong Kong would depend on how well we are prepared.

"While WHO has repeatedly emphasised the important role of maintaining an antiviral stockpile against pandemic influenza, our target is to ensure adequate supply of antiviral while minimising wastage as antiviral drugs have a shelf life of three to four years," he added.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) had recommended maintaining a target level of more than 20 million capsules of antiviral in consultation with its Board of Scientific Advisors as well as in the light of recent developments in neighbouring areas, and action taken by other places to step up their antiviral stockpile.

In the light of competing demands from other jurisdictions, the delivery of the antiviral would need to be phased out over a period of six to 12 months.

Raising the antiviral stockpile level to more than 20 million capsules would cost about $254 million.

Antiviral agents are effective both for prophylaxis and treatment and could have a role as an adjunctive strategy to vaccination for the management of pandemic influenza. Given that the vaccine is unlikely to be available for the early months of a pandemic, antiviral agents are likely to be the only virus-specific intervention during the initial pandemic response.

Apart from treatment, in order to maintain health care and other essential services, it is necessary to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis to health care workers and other essential service workers in the public sector.

Antiviral should be provided to workers involved in the culling operation in the event that massive culling of live poultry is needed.

Prophylaxis should also be provided to high-risk groups living in institutions, and contacts identified during outbreak investigation and contact tracing during the pre-pandemic period.

The Government would consult the Legislative Council's Panel on Health Services on March 14 on the proposal to increase the stockpile of antiviral and would seek the Finance Committee's endorsement for creating a capital commitment for this purpose later.

Ends/Tuesday, March 8, 2005

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