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WHO / OMSWHO, HUMANITARIAN PARTNERS LAUNCHH1N1 CALL TO ACTION INITIATIVEagencies, as well as sets out a wide range ofpublic health measures – not only pharmaceutical– to help vulnerable communitiesprepare for and respond to the pandemic.“It is clear that no one agency or body canrespond to the pandemic alone. We allmust work together,” said Dr. Eric Laroche,WHO’s Assistant Director-General for HealthAction in Crises. “We must do this by using awide range of techniques and resources toprotect people from the pandemic.”The World Health Organization has taken its fight againstthe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 to a global level, helping countriesrespond to this new threat in a myriad of ways.PAUL GARWOOD, WHOOne such response has been through the“Call to Action” initiative, which has beenborne out of the need to support countries,particularly those affected by humanitariancrises, in their efforts to protect their citizensfrom the impact of the influenza virus.PARTENAIRE CASBIAPneus neufs et occasions – JantesGardiennage de vos pneus – Gonflage à l’azote49, rue du Grand-Pré1202 GenèveTél. 022 733 73 61Fax 022 733 73 62www.chapuispneus.chThe “Call to Action” was launched in August2009 and applied in a country for thefirst time in September in Zimbabwe. It providesa strategy that both pools the skills andknowledge of multiple governments, UnitedNations agencies and non-governmentalThe “Call to Action” is an initiative of theWorld Health Organization, InternationalFederation of the Red Cross and Red CrescentSocieties (IFRC), the UN Organizationfor the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) and UNICEF. It advocates a set ofsimple yet effective public health measuresto support governments and communitiesto reduce the impact of the pandemic.Vaccines and antiviral medicines are keytools in the global response to the pandemic.But in many settings impacted bysudden or long-running humanitarian crises,governments may not be able to purchaseenough quantities of such materialsto protect their communities against thisnew strain of influenza. Therefore, the Callto Action identifies non-pharmaceuticalmeasures that can be taken in all countries,including those affected by humanitariancrises, to protect people against the virus.These include identifying high-risk groups,training, home-based care and voluntaryseparation of affected people from thewider community. It is also essential to prepareand disseminate risk communicationmessages by health care workers, volunteersand the community on individual andsocietal prevention measures in line withnational policies and local risk assessment.It also stresses the need to ensure all basiccommunity services, such as routine healthcare,water and sanitation, are sustained26 – UN Special – Décembre 2009