The Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) has released its inaugural report on CDC activities in public health emergency preparedness.

The 73-page report is on the CDC web site and entitled "Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening CDC's Emergency Response." According to the CDC's description of the report, the document "outlines CDC's future preparedness priorities, including enhancing biosurveillance systems to support rapid detection of and response to emerging public health threats, increasing nationwide laboratory capacity to respond effectively after a radiological incident (such as a dirty bomb), and helping state and local health departments strengthen their emergency response capabilities."

The report contains the CDC accomplishments in preparedness including the challenges in achieving its overarching public health preparedness goal: "People prepared for emerging health threats - people in all communities will be protected from infectious, occupational, environmental, and terrorist threats."

The report is organized as to information about CDC activities within five core public health functions: Health Monitoring and Surveillance, Epidemiology and Other Assessment Sciences, Public Health Laboratory Science and Service, Response and Recovery Operations, and Public Health System Support.

According to the Report, it can be utilized by policymakers for review of activities in TPER funding and the results achieved. The report can also serve the CDC within by understanding the preparedness framework in the agency as well as the challenges. In addition, the Report assists other federal departments and agencies including state agencies to learn of the scope of CDC activities.

Adapted from a Media Advisory Press Release by the CDC.

Read the report:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/publications/jan09phprep/

Also read the news about field triage of trauma patients:
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/8003

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