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The United Nations World Health Organization assessed the risk of a pandemic to be level three out of six, since a new flu strain has appeared in humans, but is not yet spreading between people. The traditional attitude that medical concerns are a national responsibility has restricted optimum consideration of the potential consequences for NATO, such as its reaction to a breakdown of civil authority in the wake of a pandemic, the potential severity of a sudden outbreak among deployed troops, whether deployed forces could be immunized quickly enough, and whether national authorities would cut their soldiers for deployment. Figures. Adapted from the source document.

"A guide and reference to address the gap across the science, policy and management areas. Resource for diagnostic and decision making, offers the context in which to manage mass fatality"--Provided by publisher

Both US foreign policy and global attention attest to the strategic, economic, and political importance of Asia. Yet, the region faces urgent challenges that must be addressed if it is to remain stable and prosperous. The densely populated countries of the Asia-Pacific are beleaguered by poverty, population displacement, decreasing access to potable water and adequate sanitation, and high rates of disease morbidity and mortality. New and reemerging diseases known to have originated in Asia over the past decades have spread globally by international trade, tourism, worker migration, and agricultural exportation. Unremitting naturally occurring and man-made disasters have strained Southeast Asia's already fragile disaster and public health response infrastructures and the essential services they provide (eg, surveillance, vaccination, maternal and child health, and mental health programs). Following disasters, governments often contract with the broader humanitarian community (eg, indigenous and international NGOs) and seek the assistance of militaries to provide essential services. Yet, their roles and capabilities in addressing acute and chronic health issues in the wake of complex disasters remain unclear. Current mechanisms of nation-state and outside organization interaction, including dissimilar operational platforms, may limit true partnership on behalf of the health security mission. Additionally, concerns regarding skill sets and the lack of standards-based training raise questions about the balance between developing internal response capabilities and professionalizing external, deployable resources. Both the mega-disasters that are forecast for the region and the global health security threats that are expected to emanate from them require an increased focus on improving the Asia-Pacific's emergency preparedness and response posture.