Local public health authorities have a role to make decisions on response strategies depending on the local epidemic stage during pandemic of influenza. We developed a simulation and gaming for strengthening partnerships between local public health authorities and medical professionals for pandemic flu preparedness and provided it for a part of a training seminar. Medical professionals e.g. doctors and infection control nurses and officers responsible for pandemic flu in local public health authorities made a group and discussed scenarios and questions to simulate the response to address issues in pandemic settings, followed by a presentation and briefing. All participants answered that this gaming may contribute to strengthening pandemic flu preparedness and partnerships between local public health authorities and medical professionals. This method is useful for virtually experiencing consensus-based decision-making process in various public health emergency scenarios, strengthening partnerships between multiple stakeholders.

This study proposes a simulation model of a new type of infectious disease based on smallpox, Ebola haemorrhagic fever and a health policy Game. SIR （Susceptible, Infected, Recovered） model has been widely used to analyse infectious diseases such as influenza, small- pox, bioterrorism, to name a few. On the other hand, Agent-based model or Individual-based model begins to spread in recent years. The model enables to represent behaviour of each person in the computer. It also reveals the spread of an infection by simulation of the contact process among people in the model. The study designs a model based on Ep- stein’s model in which several health policies are decided such as vaccine stocks, antiviral medicine stocks, the number of medical staff to infection control measures and so on. Furthermore, infectious simulation of Ebola haemorrhagic fever, which has not yet any effective vaccine, is also implemented in the model. As results of experiments using the model, it has been found that preventive vaccine, antiviral medicine stocks and the number of medical staff are crucial factors to prevent the spread. In addition, a health policy game against a new type of infectious disease is designed as a serious game.