CENTRAL AMERICA IN ACTION

Central America and Caribbean prepare for avian flu prevention

Series of dialogues initiated to exchange information and strengthen joint plans

By Patrizia Cocca, Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist, WB/RUTA, Costa Rica

In March, six Central American countries and the Dominican Republic began dialogues to strengthen avian flu prevention measures and management of an eventual regional pandemic.

The meetings are an initiative of the International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA), the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) and RUTA.  The series of dialogues will be developed via videoconferences, considering that the combination of communication, education and training is a highly effective tool for the prevention and management of avian flu.

The first dialogue took place on March 13, and was titled “Avian flu: Epidemiological surveillance and early detection of disease for the prevention in humans in Central America.” The three-hour videoconference linked seven countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic. More than 150 professionals participated, among them animal health directors, veterinarians, epidemiologists and laboratory specialists from the Agriculture and Livestock Ministries, physicians and veterinarians from Ministries of Health, representatives from the poultry production association and the private sector.

Support for plans and alert networks

The avian flu dialogues seek to facilitate the exchange of information and educate the population at all levels in Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, regarding the avian disease and its effects on health and the economy.

The idea is to advocate for greater collaboration, improved coordination and joint planning between government agencies responsible for human and animal health, producers, representatives of academic institutions, NGOs and the media. The goal is to support Central American countries’ coordination efforts at the national and continental levels to prevent the arrival of avian flu into the region. Standing out among these efforts is the early warning and detection network that has been implemented to detect and eliminate possible outbreaks of the disease and undertake additional preventive measures.

In this context, the various participants in the first dialogue held in March emphasized the need to share more information at the regional level, extend training to a greater number of institutions, standardize norms and technical procedures, and to have better trained human resources. They also stressed the need for additional financial resources.

Ministers will analyze preparation facing avian flu

Ministers and Viceministers of agriculture, health and economy from Central America and the Caribbean will be the target audience of the second avian flu dialogue, scheduled for April 20, 2006.  Directors of animal health, the national poultry commissions, and avian flu prevention will also participate in this upcoming meeting.

The second videoconference is titled “Avian flu: Is Central America prepared? Evaluating preventive measures and resources in countries of the isthmus.” The objective of this conference is to improve planning and response by the institutions responsible for public and animal health at the national and regional levels. In support of that goal, risks and existing preventive and control measures will be evaluated.  Additionally, human and economic resource needs for the prevention of a regional avian flu pandemic will be determined.

The number of institutions and professionals taking part in these events confirms that there is a strong demand for information exchange and dialogues such as these, which allow countries to stay up to date and coordinate joint actions in the face of the evolution of this avian disease. Therefore, OIRSA, GDLN and RUTA will continue to support the organization of these events and to release information on this subject

For more information about this topic and other related activities, please visit our Web site: www.ruta.org

Upcoming events on avian flu

Avian flu: Is Central America prepared? Evaluating preventive measures and resources in countries of the isthmus VIDEOCONFERENCE - April 20, 2006

Videoconference with ministers and general directors of public and animal health programs, agriculture and economy. The objective is to improve institutional planning and response capabilities of public and animal health entities at the national and regional level, evaluating risks, existing prevention and control measures, as well as human and financial resources available in the region to prevent a pandemic. Other target audience: Research and prevention centers, international aid agencies and Central American public sector.

Avian flu: The role of the media (Date to be announced)

The media plays a fundamental role in the prevention and reduction of bias and false beliefs regarding diseases.  Therefore, the objective of this conference will be to provide journalists with scientifically backed data (in simple terms) about avian flu, such as: spread of the virus, hygienic and preventive measures that people can take, what is true and what is myth, and what governments are doing to protect people.  Target audience: media journalists and communications managers in agencies working in the rural sector.

Avian flu: Risks and needs in the poultry sector (VIDEOCONFERENCE– Date to be announced)

The goal is to facilitate dialogue between the public sector and the business sector so that the latter might receive training in how to prevent contagion, and provide materials to governments for the design of preventive measures that take into account the needs and the reality of the poultry sector.  Target audience: poultry sector employers and representatives of poultry unions, agriculture ministries, finance ministries, public health ministries and representatives of international aid agencies

Central American workshop for the prevention of highly pathogenic avian flu and preparedness for a human pandemic   (WORKSHOP AND VIDEOCONFERENCE  – Date to be announced)

The objective is to facilitate dialogue between various key actors involved in the prevention and eventual response in the event of a regional avian flu epidemic, based on materials provided by the various participants during the videoconference series. Target audience: poultry sector employers and union representatives, Agriculture Ministries, Finance Ministries, Public Health Ministries, representatives of international aid agencies, media, veterinarians, and epidemiologists.