U.S. Supports International Avian Flu Conference in New Delhi

July 25, 2006

Photo Credit: Ben Garrison

New Delhi – Government ministers and experts from India and several neighboring countries will meet in New Delhi July 27-28, 2006, for a Conference of Ministers of Health, Agriculture/Livestock on Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness in Asia. The conference is jointly organized by the Government of India and the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the UN Food & Agriculture Organization.

The United States government is providing $100,000 for technical assistance to support the conference - $50,000 each from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Support for Avian Influenza control and response builds upon the USAID global and India support for communicable disease surveillance. USAID provides funding to WHO for the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project which works with States on surveillance planning, lab strengthening, data processing, epidemiological training and outbreak response. Earlier this year, these investments helped rapid response teams more effectively respond to the Avian Influenza outbreak in Maharashtra.

The objectives of the Conference are to combat this great threat to global health and security, to review the situation on Avian Influenza and the risk of a pandemic; to share mechanisms for integrated and multi-sectoral response at the national level; and to strengthen inter-country collaboration for effective action against the pandemic threat.

The outbreaks of Avian Influenza reported in Asia, Europe and Africa in recent years have been unprecedented in terms of their geographical scope, spread and consequences. They have resulted in substantial poultry deaths as well as the culling of more than 200 million poultry, with huge economic loss to the affected countries. Never before have countries been so widely affected by this disease, and with an impact on poultry farmers and households as well as on the poultry industry, tourism and trade.

Recent events in Indonesia clearly highlight the threat of Avian Influenza virus infection to poultry and to human beings. Many countries in the South-East Asia Region are on the flight paths of migrating birds, some of which may be carrying the Avian Influenza virus. In view of the epidemiological situation, all countries in the region are vulnerable to the influenza pandemic.