BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Emergency response to an epidemic, natural disaster or national-security threat is a key responsibility of a self-sufficient government.
In 2007, government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan leaders joined key Coalition and civilian emergency-medical response agencies to begin coordinating an epidemic response plan. Afghan leaders once again joined their Coalition counterparts to finish writing the disease outbreak response plan Feb. 10, here.
The outbreak-response plan establishes the rules and responsibilities of Afghan Ministries in the event an outbreak of Avian Influenza or Anthrax virus occurred.
 “The response plan (also) lays out the responsibilities of our government if a radiological hazard or zoonotic epidemic were to occur,” said Dr. Bashir Noormal, director general of Afghan Public Health Institute, Ministry of Public Health. “Food and water-borne illnesses are also a threat to Afghan people.”
 Though the threat of a radiological hazard in Afghanistan is low, the country has several neighbors with nuclear capability and Noormal said Afghans may need to respond to an event near the country’s borders. Zoonotic diseases are a severe threat to the people here. In rural areas, Afghans live close to farm animals. Therefore, diseases carried by the animals can be easily transmitted to humans.
 According to Noormal, there have been no cases of Avian Influenza affecting humans in Afghanistan. However, unregulated poultry imported from Pakistan could possibly be infected and the large wild fowl populations that migrate across the country twice-a-year are threats to the population.
 “Food and water-borne illnesses are a severe problem during the summer months,” said Noormal. “They cause diarrheal problems especially in children under five years old, causing many deaths.”
 The Afghan government must be prepared to respond to these circumstances and this plan is one step toward that goal, said Noormal.
 Despite several meetings, GIRoA is several months away from a finalized plan that will have been approved by all involved Afghan ministries, said Navy Lt. Pam Klepac-Tulensru, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Command Surgeon, Plan Operations medical planner.
 Once the plan is finalized, Coalition forces are going to help with several table-top exercises to test the reaction of the ministries to an outbreak.
 “Disease-outbreak plans are always a work in progress, you are always making changes to them,” Klepac-Tulensru said. “We are just here to assist the MoPH design a plan. They are the lead agency in this and have pushed this product through the other ministries for approval.”
 Representatives from the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, as well as the Ministries of Defense, Women’ s Affairs, Education and Transportation were present. Members from CSTC-A, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, U.S. Agency for International Development, Combined Joint Task Force-82 and Johns Hopkins University also attended.