PARKERSBURG — The Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Health Department recently hosted an engaging tabletop exercise at the Wood County Resiliency Center. This event brought together health officials from six counties: Wood, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Calhoun.
The focus was on how to handle public health emergencies, particularly related to the H5N1 virus. This strain of avian influenza was the focal point of the discussion, guided by input from a state representative.
Malcolm Lanham, the Community Health and Threat Preparedness Director, explained that 60% of their staff experienced the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand. The exercise provided vital training for the remaining staff who had not encountered such emergencies before.
One scenario involved finding eight dead wild birds across four counties. It escalated quickly when a family came into contact with one of these birds, leading to symptoms and a potential outbreak. Each health department brainstormed their response to this situation.
“The evaluation process is subjective, but we also have specific objectives to meet,” said Lanham. Evaluators assessed how well each group responded and provided feedback.
Amy Phelps, Public Information Officer for the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, noted that this was the first time six county health departments collaborated in this way. She emphasized that learning to respond effectively to emergencies is crucial as past experiences during COVID revealed gaps in preparedness.
According to a recent study by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), 41% of local health departments reported feeling unprepared for community health emergencies because of limited resources. This exercise aims to bridge those gaps.
Lanham concluded that these sessions will strengthen community responses to health crises, preparing them better for any future emergencies.
For further details, visit the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department’s official website at www.movhd.com.
Feel free to reach out to Amber Phipps at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com for any questions or feedback.
Source link
Local News,Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Health Department hosts discussion on responses to public health emergenciesNews,Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Health Department hosts discussion on responses to public health emergenciesWest Virginia News,Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Health Department hosts discussion on responses to public health emergencies
