Macao hosted 3rd Meeting of Cooperative Arrangement for Preventing the Spread of Communicable Diseases through Air Travel

Organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization and hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) and the Health Bureau (SSM), the 3rd Meeting of Cooperative Arrangement for Preventing the Spread of Communicable Diseases through Air Travel (3rd CAPSCA) was held in Macao on 12 June 2009. The meeting updated participants about CAPSCA’s work in the previous year and discussed ICAO’s preparedness planning and actions during the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. More than 60 delegates from the organizer, the host as well as 18 countries or areas attended the meeting. The rapid spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the avian influenza in 2005 caught many countries by surprise and a primary casualty was the aviation sector. In view of this, ICAO took a proactive approach to address the impact of a possible pandemic to air travel and took immediate action to develop an aviation-related preparedness plan. To carry the project forward, CAPSCA was launched in 2006, the aim of which is to reduce the risk of spreading influenza having pandemic potential, and similar communicable diseases, by air travelers through cooperative arrangements between the participating countries or areas. In accordance with the cooperative arrangement, an ICAO aviation medicine expert would visit the airports of the participating countries or areas to assess the preparedness plans in place and assist the concerned authorities in implementing the guidelines. Personnel from the participating civil aviation and airport authorities, as well as airlines or other related aviation workers would be trained on the guidelines and on implementation of preventive measures. In view of the outbreak of the Influenza A H1N1 worldwide, the meeting also addressed the areas of concern arising from it and discussed ICAO’s preparedness planning and actions during the outbreak. More than 60 delegates from the ministry of transport, civil aviation authorities, health authorities and airlines from China, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, USA, Ireland, India, Cambodia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam presented at the meeting. The meeting of the CAPSCA Steering Committee is convened annually and chaired and hosted by the civil aviation authorities of each participating country or area in turn. The project presently has 13 members, including Macao. In 2006, an ICAO aviation medicine expert visited Macao to assess whether the relevant policies, training and communication procedures of Macau International Airport were in place. The assessment result indicated that Macao’s preparedness plan complies with the ICAO guidelines. Taking the opportunity that the foreign aviation medicine experts are in Macao, SSM will organize the Workshop on the Public Health Emergency Plan in Aviation on 13 June 2009. The workshop will be attended by more than 80 local and foreign medical personnel who will exchange views on the public health emergency plans relating to communicable diseases through air travel which are in place in airports.