CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR PANDEMIC IN ASEAN MEMBER STATES: RECOMMENDATIONS

Dr. Farid Abdul Hadi

ASEAN-US Consultant

Bangkok

June 22, 2009

Overview

• Developing a business continuity plan– Model process

• Other recommendations– Tools and coordination– Capacity building

Developing a Business Continuity

Plan: Model Process

Common Areas for Developing Business Continuity Plans

• Personnel

• Equipment

• Availability of assets

• Availability of other “backups”

• Business commitments

• “Chain of command”

• Accounting

• Contact list for emergencies

Developing a Business Continuity Plan

• Set priorities– Identify critical processes, operations, functions– Identify key internal/external dependencies– Identify what else can affect organization

• Determine strategy

Process for Preparing a Business Continuity Plan

• Planning process– Preparing business continuity plan– Activation guidance

• Readiness

• Prevention

• Response

• Recovery/resumption

• Implement and maintain

Developing a Plan: Readiness

• Address the preparatory

steps required for a strong

foundation to build the plan

• Assign accountability

• Perform risk assessment

• Conduct business impact

analysis

• Agree on strategic plan

• Develop crisis management

and response team

Developing a Plan: Prevention

• Conduct compliance audits

• Use cost-effective mitigation strategies– Identify resources needed

• Goal of avoidance, deterrence and detection

Developing a Plan: Response

• Recognize if a potential crisis exists

• Report crisis to management team– Conduct assessment of

problem

• Document declaration of crisis

• Execute business continuity plan– Determine appropriate level

of response

Developing a Plan: Recover/Resume Critical Processes

• Assess damage• Document incidents,

including financial expenditures

• Prioritize resumption of critical processes

• Seek “return to normal,” “pre-crisis” conditions

Developing a Plan: Test and Train

• Educate crisis management and response teams about responsibilities and duties

• Train all employees on individual responsibilities

• Test plan– Set goals and expectations

– Schedule and timeline for testing

Developing a Plan: Evaluate and Maintain

• Review and evaluate plan on a set schedule

• Assign responsibility for maintaining plan

• Maintenance should reflect changes in the organization’s operation

Other Recommendations

Tools and Coordination

• Develop assessment tools and indicators to review and monitor state of preparedness

• Use existing tools to train sectors to develop own strategies

• Coordinate across sectors at regional and national levels

• Establish command and control or coordination structures above the health sector– Advocacy may be needed

– Integrate non-health sectors

Capacity Building

• Model process of developing a business continuity plan may require capacity building

• Possible methods– Study tour– Create networks or systems for sharing information– Partner or “attach” with sectors in other countries