Bioterrorism and Health Care Delivery

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Bioterrorism And Emergency Preparedness
Public Participation in Preparedness of Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism and Present Public Healthcare System
Digital Counterattack
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Today’s age is one of the complex times for all the human beings on earth. Its complexity is apparent in all walks of life. The major factor for this complexity is ever-increasing body of knowledge that is benefiting the positive cause for the living then it is also empowering the negative forces of the very planet. With the advent of massive technological advances and space exploration, the course of life has dramatically changed in the present era. However, this very change has brought such evils to society as suicide bombing, kidnapping, mass-killing, and bioterrorism making life miserable for the general dweller almost in all parts of the world. As such, these waves of terrorism are taking new shapes with the passage of time in proportion to the development on the positive side of the acquisition of knowledge.

Henceforth, the present paper, specifically investigates the issue of bioterrorism and looks at the issue from the viewpoint of emergency or disaster preparedness. As such the paper investigates the causes of bioterrorism and carries an extensive investigation to bring forth possible and effective measures against the likely influence of bioterrorism.

Bioterrorism And Emergency Preparedness

Today is the age of rapid change, rapid not only in progressive work, but unluckily in such areas as terrorism which gave birth to bioterrorism (Fabian, p. 62, 2004). It was during the attacks of anthrax on April 24, 1997, in Washington D.C. when this all started on a broad spectrum (Layne, p. 21, 2004), and that the United States seemed to lack an efficient preparedness for biological terrorism and prospective threats. Later, “On May 17, 2000, a release of pneumonic plague virus occurred at a local theater hosting a sold-out performance of a popular play” (Wiant, p. 50, 2000). If it had been the other way around, it would have indicated better cure and care of the infected and exposed people as happened later when Ron Brown had an idea of fixing instant bioterrorism detectors on cell-phone towers (Krause, p. 37, 2003).

However, on a broader canvas what is required in this regard, that is, emergency preparedness in bioterrorism, is that the first responders to the biological threats must – who range from law enforcement bodies to technicians of medical emergency – have training which is up to date so as to effectively deal with prospective and present biological threats like anthrax. Some of the concerned departments of the US government have started to create awareness with regard to necessary precautions for such issues as influenza, smallpox, and toxic chemicals. Other agencies and bodies have begun to work in association with other organizations to prepare people and communities so that they can protect themselves.

Cross-communal partnerships are also being observed in order to effectively meet the challenges in the area of bioterrorism and to treat any threat with a mass movement of expertise and resources (Abatemarco, p. 16, 2007).

Public Participation in Preparedness of Bioterrorism

With regard to the preparedness to biological threats, responding effectively to bioterrorism, and readiness for such evils, planning is now catching widespread attention among professionals of medical field, environment, and emergency-related fields. The entire focus of such awareness is actually to enhance and boost up the overall effectiveness of programs against such threats as biological attacks and epidemics.

However, the key element which can be very effective in controlling the bioterrorism and can stand to be highly beneficial with regard to the preparedness is the association of public or nonprofessionals in the very area. It is one single area in which the concerned bodies need to play a very active role so that more and more people can be made aware of the threats of bioterrorism and more and more precautionary measures can be observed (Richardson, p. 49, 2004).

According to the guidelines provided by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies has proposed a four-fold package through which the general people can be better made aware of the bioterrorism threats and so can be effectively derived to emergency preparedness to such a threat (Richardson, p. 49, 2004). I discuss the five guidelines in the following lines.

Prevention of Panic

Prevention of panic is one of the basic and most important guidelines to be followed by the concerned professionals while a group of people or communities of any people get harmed by a biological threat. If panic is not prevented by certain measures, there is high probability that the effects of a biological attack may multiply for uncertain limits. To prevent and diminish the factor of panic and chaos, creation of a positive and constructive approach among general people is very significant. To achieve this very target, according to the university analysis and research, information that is both timely and accurate must be released. This package of information must also include “instruction in personal protective equipment” (Richardson, p. 49, 2004).

Effective Association of General Public

Effective association and collaboration of the general public in the emergency preparedness is also a very important area of concern. Under this guideline, according to the source, the basic point is to consider general public as an authentic and “capable partner”. If this is not the approach of any associating and collaborating body, there is little chance that effective public involvement in a time of biological threat can be possible.

As such this is a very important area of concern. The use of civic bodies to assist people with regard to necessary information, monitoring of a program, and distribution of medical aid are highly required. This is due to the reason that civic organizations are already running networks that have well gone into the lives of a number of people. However, for a more effective approach toward emergency and disaster preparedness plans for patients being cured at home must be made so that better infection control can be entertained.

Moreover, these very plans should focus on the entire community of neighborhood so that a widespread awareness and preparedness campaign can be effectively executed. Else, alternative and lay-care providers should also be involved so that more and more people can be reached through them and as such made aware of the preparedness initiatives. In addition, family, neighbors, and community groups should also be involved for a variety of reasons. The most important objective to achieve by the involvement of these people is to treat the infected ones with adequate precautions (Richardson, p. 49, 2004).

Important Information for Treatment

Although it is right to suggest that medical treatment is very important in the cure of an infected individual, it must be noted that necessary information is equally effective in such conditions as preparedness for bioterrorism. Henceforth, provision of important information on a scene of biologically infected area is mandatory. For this very goal, a health communication strategy must be formed which focuses to empower the general people to cope with the danger of a bio-disaster.

For this very measure, health information should be spread in multilingual media as well as in the manner which is culturally relevant and acceptable to a specific group of people. Educators themselves should be educated regarding any preparedness strategy so that they can forward the word effectively; additionally, the use of local spokespersons should be made to disseminate important information among general people (Richardson, p. 49, 2004).

Create a Trustworthy Environment

It is highly significant to “Educate the public, before an attack, about what is being done to prepare and respond” (Richardson, p. 49, 2004). If a bioterrorism attack has, unfortunately, taken place, the essential thing is to let precise loads of information flow out to public through mass media resources and exchanges of interpersonal interaction. Examples of interpersonal interaction can be meetings held in towns, specific workshops, and awareness through the employment of chat rooms. Yet it is way too important that the public respond to the press and other media with a non-adversarial attitude and can willingly show want for information material. This is all about, then, creating an atmosphere which is trustworthy altogether (Richardson, p. 49, 2004).

It must be noticed that when these four guidelines are effectively incorporated in the mechanism of bioterrorism preparedness, there is no doubt that the probability of more damage can be successfully diminished. Moreover, the emergency preparedness to bio-disaster can be made sure to last long in case a prospective threat breaks out. If such guidelines as cited above are not given due attention, it is not a remark of surety that countermeasures against biological threats can be effectively employed which is a point of concern in itself.

Bioterrorism and Present Public Healthcare System

As noted above, it becomes crystal clear that involvement of the general public is essential to fight the impending threats of bioterrorism. However, looking at the present condition of public healthcare sector, one piece of evidence can be easily reached: out present capabilities of the public healthcare sector are not as efficiently equipped as it is needed to fight such evils as bioterrorism (Gorin, p. 56, 2002).

It can be easily explained with the example of what happened after the anthrax outbreak in the country. There was not sufficient number of highly required professionals like hazardous-materials teams, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, mental health workers, regulators and logistics specialists. All it resulted was that the American Public Health Association urged that Congress invest $10 billion in the span of next five years so that the healthcare sector’s capabilities can be upgraded with due attention (Gorin, p. 56, 2002).

Therefore, in today’s challenging and fast-changing environment where things are hard to predict, it is highly needed that the healthcare sector is equipped with necessary tools and procedures as well as professionals so that such modern threats as bioterrorism can be effectively counter-attacked for better safety of the people both infected and non-infected; also, environmental health is another important area which has to be taken into consideration in this very regard.

However, I personally deem that the government solely may not be able to cope up with such demands. As such for equipping healthcare sector with important and required tools and procedures leveraging both private and public funding source is a very effective strategy which can prove to be vital in the up-gradation process of our healthcare sector (Wong, p. 238, 2003).

Digital Counterattack

In today’s time, more important, according to my personal discretion, is not only to equip healthcare sector with essential tools and protocols but also to make sure that digital technological means such as detectors, and surveillance systems should also be developed at rapid pace because such tools as “Biological surveillance minimizes the impact of a terrorist strike and can be used for the dual purpose of monitoring for outbreaks of infectious diseases” (Schneider, p. 09, 2005). When such protocols are developed, there are more security and fewer threats of bioterrorism in our case. This alls has impact for positive growth on national strength.

Conclusion

What is highly important in today’s time is to make sure that certain precautionary measures must be made use of to fight evils of bioterrorism. It is not sufficient to demand government to come into play to counterattack bioterrorism; however, the more important point is that the actual required procedures are met as well as the other half of the entire story (the general public) must be taken into confidence. It is through awareness campaigns among common people that effective strategies against bioterrorism can be met and executed. Also President Bush’s initiative for vaccination of nearly 500, 000 healthcare professionals for smallpox voluntarily (May et al. p. 23, 2003) is another important strategy with regard to fighting against bioterrorism.

References

Abatemarco, A., Beckley, J., Borjan, M., & Robson. (2007). Assessing and improving bioterrorism preparedness among first responders: a pilot study. Journal of EnvironmentalHealth (69) 6. Page Number: 16+. COPYRIGHT 2007 National Environmental Health Association; COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group.

Fabian, N. (2002). Bioterrorism response, unintended consequences and the role of environmental health. Journal of Environmental Health (65) 5. Page Number: 62+. COPYRIGHT 2002 National Environmental Health Association; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group.

Gorin, S. H. (2002). The crisis of public health revisited: implications for social work. Health and Social Work (27) 1. Page Number: 56+. COPYRIGHT 2002 National Association of Social Workers; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group.

May, T., Aulisio, M. P., & Silverman, R. D. (2003). The smallpox vaccination of health care workers: professional obligations and defense against bioterrorism. The Hastings Center Report (33) 5. Page Number: 26+. COPYRIGHT 2003 Hastings Center; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group.

Richardson, R. (2004). The public as a key partner in bioterrorism preparedness: issues and solutions. Journal of Environmental Health (65) 1. Page Number: 49. COPYRIGHT 2002 National Environmental Health Association; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group.

Schneider, H. (2005). Protecting public health in the age of bioterrorism surveillance: is the price right? Journal of Environmental Health (68) 5. Page Number: 9+. COPYRIGHT 2005 National Environmental Health Association; COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group.

Wiant, C. J. (2000). Operation topoff-lessons on responding to bioterrorism. Journal of Environmental Health(63) 3. Page Number: 50. COPYRIGHT 2000 National Environmental Health Association; COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group.

Wong, L. A. (2003). Universal health care for children: two local initiatives. The Future of Children (13) 1. Page Number: 238+. COPYRIGHT 2003 the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group.

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