Avian Influenza: The Challenge to Africa and USAID’s Response

1. Southern Africa Regional Workshop on Notifiable Avian Influenza Avian Influenza: The Challenge to Africa and USAID’s Response March 7, 2006

2. Essential and Primary Actions • Strengthen International and cross-sector Partnerships on Avian and Pandemic Influenza to improve surveillance/detection • Improve Communications alerting the public as to how to prevent the spread of AI from animal to human • Containment of and reducing the spread of the disease in animals.

3. U.S. Government Response A Coordinated USG Approach • DoD • Reference Lab; Laboratory capacity building; outbreak response; training • HHS, CDC • Surveillance and diagnostics, pandemic planning, research, communications • USDA • TA for animal surveillance and diagnostics, containment & prevention measures, planning • State • Public diplomacy, diplomatic engagement, delivery of donated supplies, coordination (drafting joint USG international strategy)

4. Meeting the Challenge in Africa Applying the Lessons Learned from Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe • Strong National Leadership Required • Need to Establish a National Task Force • Realistic Assessments of preparedness • Development and Implementation of AI Preparedness & Response Plan • Coordinated Monitoring of AI Infection Among Wild Birds and Poultry • Open and timely reporting of outbreaks IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

5. Our Response What is USAID doing?

6. USAID Response Globally • GLOBALLY: • USAID funding in FY 2005 for AI: $22.1 million: • US$13.7 million for SE Asia • helping contain the spread in animal populations • reducing risk of human infection • support preparedness & planning • US$8.5 million for Eastern Europe, Eurasia & Africa: • supporting early surveillance & diagnosis • strengthening prevention measures • communication & education campaigns

7. USAID Response Globally • GLOBALLY, cont: • USAID funding for FY 2006 for AI worldwide over US$130 million • Overall the US Government has pledged to provide more than US$334 million in grants and technical assistance worldwide to developing countries dealing with the threat of Avian Influenza • USAID funding for FY2007 for AI worldwide is expected but this year more emphasis on Africa

8. Meeting the Challenge in Africa USAID’s INITIAL REPONSES IN AFRICA: USAID/Washington: • Avian Influenza Response concept paper July 2005 • Convened Washington meeting with representatives of the African Diplomatic Corps • Hosted discussions with USAID/African mission health officers and FAO • Established a Washington AI Task Force • Mandated the establishment of a network of AI Focal Points (animal health, human health and communications) at each USAID/Africa Mission • Mandated active participation by mission AI Focal Points on US Embassy Task Forces and participation wherever requested, on National AI Task Forces

9. Meeting the Challenge in Africa USAID’s INITIAL REPONSES IN AFRICA: USAID/Washington, cont.: • Support to WHO/AFRO for regional AI activities • Support to FAO for AI meetings and future activities • Active participation in the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI) USAID/Regional Offices: • Coordination with regional intergovernmental bodies (SADC, ECOWAS, IGAD, etc.) • Development of sub-regional USAID AI Strategies and regional activities for East (REDSO/Nairobi), West (WARP/Accra), Southern (RCSA/Gaborone)

10. Meeting the Challenge in Africa USAID’s INITIAL REPONSES IN AFRICA, continued USAID/ Bilateral Country Missions: • Tanzania, Ethiopia & Ghana: technical support & funding for: • Country AI assessments • Wild bird surveillance • Strengthening of national and regional laboratory capacity • Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique and Senegal helped establish Cross-sector National Avian Influenza Task Forces • USAID/Tanzania and USAID/Ethiopia redirected US$675,000 for immediate surveillance and testing • Multiple USAID offices have redirected another US$1.5 million unspent from the Tsunami Reconstruction and Relief Fund to bolster monitoring and combating the spread of H5N1.

11. Meeting the Challenge in Africa USAID’s INITIAL REPONSES IN AFRICA, continued USAID/ Bilateral Country Missions, cont: • Nigeria, Feb 2006: after H5N1 confirmed: • USAID shipped to Nigeria 2000 kits of personal protective equipment to help animal and human health workers respond • USAID deployed a communications expert to assist in raising public awareness in close collaboration with UNICEF • USAID sent teams of experts to investigate the source of the outbreaks and provide technical assistance in close collaboration with the Nigerian government

12. Meeting the Challenge in Africa • USAID will continue to work aggressively to help at-risk developing countries. For example, most at-risk are thought to be those: • On key migratory bird routes • With high levels of live bird trade (formal or informal and international) (wild or domestic) • With high levels of trade in packaged poultry or game birds (formal or informal and international)

13. The US Government Strategy • Globally the USG is focused on building: • Strong leadership, coordination & communication • Essential and Primary Activities that build: • Partnerships to improve Surveillance/Detection • Communications to improve Preparedness • Rapid Response for Containmentin animals

14. Web Sites & More Information • http://pandemicflu.gov/ • http://www.usaid.gov/index.html Thank you for your continued... participation in this process!