Kabul, 05 June 2006 - In the combat
against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), FAO continues its efforts
to support control activities in Afghanistan and in other countries of
the region. The very last occurrence of H5N1 HPAI in Afghanistan was detected
on 4 April 2006 in Kapisa province. Since that date hundreds of samples
have been submitted to the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory with
negative results. Those results have received further confirmation from
the FAO/OIE Reference Laboratory in Padova (Italy).
Even if the current epidemiological
situation might appear favourable FAO believes that surveillance activities
should not be discontinued and appropriate mechanisms for early detection
and early response in poultry should be in place and improved if deemed
necessary. It is through a rapid identification and elimination of the
virus at its source that risk for humans can be minimized.
The World Bank, FAO and USAID have fielded a joint mission and are in the process of preparing a comprehensive Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness Project, which is based on the National Avian Influenza Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan. A time lag is envisaged before the WB/FAO/USAID project is made operational. Therefore, FAO is launching the project 'Interim Emergency assistance for Avian Influenza in Afghanistan' from the Avian Influenza Response Programme. This interim emergency assistance is funded under the framework of the "Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA)" which is a multidonor funded programme to assist countries affected by the epizooty, supported by the Governments of France, Jordan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Switzerland. It brings a great opportunity to fill the critical gap and help in containing the spread of AI in the country.
The above-mentioned governments have generously contributed US$300 000 to finance this project at a very critical juncture with significant envisaged impacts. The project will be implemented by FAO Afghanistan under the supervision of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and in close participation and consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food.
The project is designed to strengthen the capacities of Afghanistan to address the avian influenza threat mainly through conducting surveillance and monitoring for HPAI, identifying on-going outbreaks, adopting control measures, trainings for national experts and farmers and conducting an effective public awareness campaign.
The proposed project activities will initially cover the eastern part of Afghanistan where all the H5N1 HPAI outbreaks have occurred. Following the first six months of the project, lessons learned and experiences shall be incorporated in the ensuing WB/FAO/USAID project. .In addition, the project will be implemented in full coordination with another FAO-implemented regional project named 'Controlling Transboundary Animal Diseases in Central Asia', which is funded by the Government of Italy and covers Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The Government of Italy has generously donated additional US$105 000 to the Government of Afghanistan under the regional project to contain and control HPAI.
Bridging funds provided by USAID to the WHO will build on the existing polio surveillance system to passively detect suspect cases of HPAI in humans. That is, the system will be designed to provide early warning information to the central HPAI secretariat in Kabul. The secretariat will then be able to react by sending a team to the site of the suspected outbreak to take samples and/or request that patients be brought to Kabul for diagnosis and treatment.
Funds from both the SFERA and USAID/WHO bridging projects will be used to encourage cross-talk between veterinary and public health authorities at all levels of government. Designated veterinary and public health staff at the central, zonal, provincial and district levels will be trained on the case definitions of HPAI in poultry and humans so that there can be an immediate, local veterinary follow up to any suspect HPAI case in humans, and vice versa.
Contact:
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry,
Jamal Mina, Opposite Kabul University, Kabul, Afghanistan
Phone: + 93 (0) 70 274 515, Email: assadullah.azhari@fao.org