In an effort to prepare communities for a public health emergency, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) recently ran exercises across the state to ensure readiness if the need for mass immunization arises.

Local coordinators and regional planners from the agency’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Service coordinated efforts in setting up a point of dispensing (POD) unit. In the event of a public health emergency such as anthrax, plague or pandemic flu, the PODs will be activated provide large amounts of medication such as antibiotics to the public. The Mass Immunization and Prophylaxis Strategy (MIPS) is Oklahoma’s program for distributing the Strategic National Stockpile from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Scott Sproat, director of the OSDH Emergency Preparedness and Response Service, said it is important for communities to be prepared to dispense large amounts of specific medication in the event of a public health emergency to the affected area.

In the last few weeks, exercises were held in Sallisaw, Enid, Ada, Altus, Walters, Cordell, Pryor and Beaver. The drills allowed officials to assess setup, facilities, and the flow of traffic at community locations such as community centers and school gymnasiums designated as PODs.

In a separate exercise, the OSDH activated the state’s secondary warehouse to be used in the event the primary location is damaged and unavailable. Volunteers, such as those with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC), simulated inventory tracking and management, which would be needed in a real-world mobilization.

There are 22 health departments across the state tasked with coordinating responses with surrounding communities in their area. For more information, visit www.health.ok.gov.