Pandemic influenza preparedness planning: lessons from Cambodia.

aCommunicable Disease Policy Research Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand. bDepartment of Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. cSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Correspondence to Anthony C Huszar (e-mail: [email protected]) Introduction Experts have estimated that a pandemic influenza outbreak could cost more than 60 million lives worldwide.1 When considered in combination with recent research demonstrating human-to-human transmission potential of the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza A(H5N1),2 this highlights the growing need for public health officials to review their pandemic influenza preparedness strategy. This is especially true for SouthEast Asia which is predicted to be the likely epicentre of future pandemics.3