Keynote Address: “Issues to Tackle”

David NabarroVienna Senior Officials’ Meeting on Avian

and Pandemic Influenza7th June 2006

I Taking Stock of the Threats

and FAOMap courtesy of FAO using data from OIE

II The Progress Report (a)• Tools exist• Integrated Plans• Measure of Success in Achievements• Challenges

– Political Leadership– Financial Resources– Organization, at local and global level– Effective international support

• Accountable • Supporting National Ownership • Encouraging Regional Institutions• Working Closely with Donors

II The Progress Report (b)

• International standards available: strategic goals clear: way forward clearly established

• Importance of working together on implementation

• Leadership Role of National Authorities, World Bank and Regional Banks, with UN System– Financing Framework– Joint Appraisals– Monitoring

II The Progress Report (c)

• Costs of inadequate response– Inability to halt spread of H5N1 in birds– Inability to follow up (immediately and long term) on

suspected human cases of H5N1– Inability to contain an early-stage pandemic when

sustained human to human transmission starts– Inability to prevent endemicity of viruses– Inability to establish an inclusive movement

• In countries agree and are able to provide it, next report will contain detailed information

III Communicating Information for change to healthy behaviour

• Massive global and national information campaigns are a crucial tool to reach out to people and rural communities informing them about the avian influenza risks and how they can protect themselves.

• Support to behaviour change – through field work – is critical

• There may be serious disincentives to change

IV Partnering communities: incentives and compensation

• Avian influenza control efforts may increase poverty and suffering

• Communities seek incentives to participate in control efforts • Fair and well-functioning compensation schemes can

support people whose livelihoods are endangered because they have lost their poultry.

• Compensation can help to sustain people’s livelihoods and encourages farmers to report sick animals immediately.

• Need more work on effective compensation

V Virus containment in Animals

• We must continue to reduce the virus load in animals to reduce the risk to poultry and to humans.

• Best animal husbandry practices, animal health systems, biosecurity and targeted vaccination measures require more support.

• This is a key contribution to food safety and human security

VI Surveillance of threats to Human Health: response capacity

• We have to be on high alert for virus development in humans.

• Recent events show that the immediate detection and investigation of suspect clusters of human cases are fundamental if we want to contain virus transmission in humans at a very early stage.

• This requires search capacity and stockpiling of anti-viral drugs.

VII Pandemic Preparedness

• The threat of a pandemic is seen to be real.

• Need better intergovernmental and national plans help to prepare for a pandemic, ensuring the continuity of health systems, governance, the economy and speedy recovery.

• Standard Procedures tested through simulations

VIII International supportParticipants in the meeting asked for • Ever increasing back-up of countries and regional entities

by bilateral aid organizations, specialized UN agencies, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank, Regional Development Banks, together with other UN funds and programmes (UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, OCHA, UNEP, UNHCR), major voluntary organizations and the private sector.

• More synergy AND continued action to improve networking, coordination and accountability within the international system;

• Increased cooperation between governments and non-governmental organizations at national and international levels

IX Financial Assistance• We are working with substantial pledges.• Levels of commitment not as great as they should be• Disbursement rates must continue to increase. . • Overall availability of financial resources is insufficient:

especially for Africa and for some parts of the UN system.  • Importance of immediate and targeted assistance – “cash in

the hand” –clear to all • Reduce delays to disbursement –

– Donors are waiting to see where their funds are most needed, or can make the greatest difference, or both.

– Respond to the interests of donors and country needs– Work within the context of both urgent national needs and

principles of the financing framework.

X Scientific Initiatives

• Scientific progress (epidemiology, clinical, virological and anthropological) in the battle against the H5N1 virus strongly depends on openness and cooperation.

• Researchers rely on the sharing of important data

• Researcher-Manufacturer-Government interaction is critical for improving utility and availability of vaccines and diagnostic tests.

Much achieved: much more to do

It is up to all of us, together

We are all held to account