World Health Organisation (WHO) has sent detailed guidelines to different countries on actions they need to take for controlling possible epidemic of avian influenza that is particularly affecting countries in Asia.
The United Nations Secretary General has also appointed Dr David Nabarro, one of the most senior public health experts at the World Health Organisation (WHO), to lead co-ordination of UN response to avian influenza, and a possible human influenza pandemic.
WHO warns that this animal virus (H5N1) could change into a form, which spreads, easily from person to person. As people would have no natural immunity, a new influenza virus could cause widespread death, illness, social and economic disruption.
In recent weeks, several countries have joined forces to co-ordinate preparation. The United States announced a new International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza at the World Summit in New York. The initiative is moving forward with several countries, with a planning meeting on 7 to 8 October in Washington.
Canada is also hosting a ministerial meeting on October 25 and 26, to discuss a range of policy issues to support the work of partnership. On 7 and 8 November the World Health Organisation is hosting a meeting of all partners to co-ordinate the funding needed. All of these efforts aim to ensure countries are equipped with national influenza pandemic preparation plans, that efforts to stop outbreaks of avian influenza are accelerated, and health tools, such as a vaccine are available as quickly as possible.
Implementing the WHO actions requires co-ordination across UN agencies, countries, civil society, across sectors within countries and the private sector. Implementation also requires funding.
As senior UN system co-ordinator for Avian and Human Influenza Dr Nabarro will be responsible for ensuring an effective and co-ordinated contribution by the UN system to controlling the current epidemic of avian influenza that is particularly affecting countries in Asia. He will also ensure the UN system supports effective local, national, regional and global preparations for a potential human influenza pandemic - so as to reduce human toll, as well as economic and social disruption, the pandemic could cause.
"The WHO has been very clear about the imminent threat of a human influenza pandemic. The world is responding, and is moving quickly to get prepared. However, co-ordination of these efforts is critical to ensure all stakeholders are giving the best of what they have to offer, and that countries receive the support they urgently require," sources in WHO said here on Friday.
Dr Nabarro from UK has held several leadership positions in WHO, including on malaria, environmental health, food safety and most recently in crisis operations.
His 30 years experience includes work in community-level and government health programmes, particularly in Asia, in the administration of development assistance, as well as the management of scientific research, the building of development partnerships and engagement with non-governmental organisations. Currently, the outbreaks of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in poultry and other birds in several Asian countries pose the greatest threat of sparking a human influenza pandemic.
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