Emergency Distribution of Pharmaceuticals

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Description

During an emergency, public health workers may be called upon to help dispense medicine or medical supplies. Find out what is involved in the process of mass dispensing of medications, vaccines, or other medical supplies. This module outlines situations in which mass dispensing is necessary, and discusses the logistics of providing medications to large populations.

Objectives

After completing this module, participants should be able to:

• Describe the role of medications, vaccines, and medical supplies in response to a public health emergency, such as an act of terrorism, a natural disaster, or an influenza pandemic.
• List and describe the pharmaceutical resources available for public health crises and describe how these resources could be used within local communities.
• Describe the purpose and general process flow of a mass dispensing clinic or a point of distribution (POD).
• Explain the roles of public health staff and volunteers in a POD.