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Countries Show Sense of Urgency

The nations of the world banded together on January 17 in Beijing and pledged to create a US$1.9 billion fund to stop the spread of deadly avian influenza (AI).

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, speaking at the Ministerial Session of the two-day International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza on January 18, pledged that China, which has already suffered significant human and economic losses because of the disease, would contribute at least US$10 million to an anti-AI fund and would especially assist neighbouring ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries in their respective battles against the disease.

This comes in addition to about US$100 million already allocated by the Chinese Government in January 2005 to prevent and control AI within China, according to statements made by spokesmen for the Ministry of Finance that were reported by the Xinhua News Agency.

According to government reports available at its Web site (www.gov.cn), China experienced 32 AI outbreaks during 2005 and one in 2006 that caused six deaths of nine stricken people. It has also resulted in the direct deaths of 154,000 fowl and the culling of about 22.6 million more. Outbreaks affected 13 provinces, 25 cities, 32 counties, 57 towns and 115 villages. In addition, the disease was detected in migratory waterfowl in Qinghai Province in May 2005, a factor that greatly complicates planning to stop the disease's spread.

Prior to the Beijing conference, the World Bank had estimated that it would take about US$1.2 billion-$1.4 billion to stop the spread of the disease. After the conference, an elated European Union Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said of the US$1.9 billion figure, "This is a significant achievement we all can be proud of." He said about US$1 billion of the funds would be distributed to the most needy countries, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia and Vietnam, in the form of grants. The balance is expected to be extended to other countries in the form of loans.

Leading donors to the fund included: US$121.6 million from the European Commission, US$134.9 million from the European Union, US$334 million from the United States and US$155 million from Japan, according to Chinese Government reports.

Deputy Foreign Minister Qiao Zonghuai on January 17 said, "Many countries and institutions affected by avian influenza are facing pretty large financial gaps, which will seriously hamper their efforts at prevention and control." But, he added, "When the nest is overturned, no egg stays unbroken" in reference to the threat to the whole world of AI.

The conference, attended by 700 delegates from more than 100 countries, was co-sponsored by the Chinese Government, the European Commission and the World Bank in close coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

It concluded with the issuance of the Beijing Declaration in which participants in the anti-AI conference pledged to do whatever it takes to stem the spread of the virulent disease which has already killed more than half the humans who have contracted it (about 80 of 150 stricken people as of the conference) and nearly 100 percent of affected fowl. Most of the victims had come into contact with dead or diseased fowl, but the greatest fear of those battling the disease is that the virus responsible for AI might mutate into a form easily communicated from human to human, which could create conditions for a human AI pandemic that could kill millions of people around the world and result in an economic catastrophe, especially for the world's poor, many of whom are farmers.

The Beijing Declaration said, "If not detected, reported promptly and contained effectively, a pandemic could potentially kill millions and cause catastrophic consequences in the areas of global economic growth, trade, and security. HPAI is threatening the livelihood of hundreds of millions of poor livestock farmers and jeopardizing smallholder entrepreneurship and commercial poultry production. Therefore, we must take coordinated, rapid and decisive actions to prevent, prepare for and control HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] so as to prevent a human pandemic, firstly in respect to animal health as this is the primary source of the risk. This would include a change in animal production and management systems. At the same time we must take measures to prepare for a possible human pandemic, so that we will have the means to contain or at least control the pandemic should it occur. It is also critical to address medium- and long-term issues related to animal and public health sectors."

In the Beijing Declaration, the conference's participants pledged to: create integrated national action plans; to comply with 21^st century International Health Regulations promulgated in May 2005 and to voluntarily comply with new regulations expected to be issued in June 2007; to create long-term strategic partnerships between the international community and countries affected or at risk to provide prompt and adequate assistance to respond to outbreaks of disease; and to engage in other internationally accepted norms for dealing with highly pathogenic disease outbreaks. (See a text of the Beijing Declaration at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/19/content_4070112.htm).

In his speech, Wen called for the establishment "by the international community" of monitoring and early warning systems that could be used to track all epidemic diseases. He called for a sharing of scientific research in the areas of epidemiology and medicine development for AI prevention and control.

"China is ready to provide personnel training to member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the neighbouring countries and to conduct technical exchanges with concerned countries on epidemiological surveys, early warning and monitoring, laboratory testing and clinical diagnoses and treatment.

"We are also willing to cooperate with concerned countries and international organizations in the development of a vaccine and medicines for the effective prevention and control of bird flu.

"I believe that through the joint efforts fo the international community and delegate here, we are sure to bring bird flu under control and make a new contribution to the civilization and progress of mankind."

Wen said the political strengths of the United Nations were particularly suited to the task facing the world and to coordinating the responses of the world's nations.

The United Nation's coordinator for avian and human influenza David Nabarro said, "We've got an excellent declaration not only in terms of cash, but also in terms of partnership, in terms of openness on information, in terms of cooperation on research, in terms of evaluating results and impact.

"What we've seen today is that the world really does care and wants to respond effectively to the threat of avian influenza, and a possible human pandemic."

Lee Jong-wook, director-general of the World Health Organization, said there must be visible improvement in control of avian influenza and pandemic preparedness by countries, technical agencies, and all others involved.

"It won't happen without money; money is not the answer to every question, but without it, little can be done."

In other comments at the conference, FAO Deputy Chief David Harcharik said, "Avian flu should not be considered a human health issue, but a human- and animal-health issue."

I a taped message shown at the conference, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that to be truly prepared, the world needs to mount a massive effort, from upgrading veterinary systems and launching vaccination drives, to encouraging change in the ways people co-exist with animals.

"Please bear in mind that the amount asked for is small compared to the costs, human and economic, of a pandemic we are not ready for."

Wen said, "As a responsible member of the international community, China will continue to actively participate in international efforts, share our experience, and help fight avian influenza."

For a comprehensive Chinese Government report on the conference, including the texts of key speeches, including Wen's and the Beijing Declaration, see: http://english.gov.cn/2006-01/19/content_163516.htm

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Avian influenza (AI) is a contagious viral disease of poultry and other birds. There are different strains of the AI virus and the highly pathogenic strains, such as H5N1, kill almost 100 percent of infected chicken.

 The current spread of H5N1 is unprecedented. Since end of 2003, the disease has extended over various Asian countries, where it has become endemic, that is to say it is present in wild birds and not going to go away soon. Wild birds are often carriers of avian influenza viruses without showing any symptoms, and contact between domestic flocks and wild birds has been at the origin of several epidemics in poultry.

While trade in live birds and poultry products can disseminate the diseases from one country to another, there is increasing evidence that also migratory birds propagate the disease along their flyways.

Since AI first emerged in late 2003 in Southeast Asia, there have been outbreaks in 10 Asian countries and in Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Croatia, Romania and Ukraine. Efforts to control the outbreaks have resulted in the culling or death of over 140 million chickens worldwide, and the economic losses in the Asian poultry sector alone are estimated at around $10 billion.

As of December 14, 2005, there had been 138 human cases, of which 71 died.

Humans can get infected through close contact with affected birds. It spreads when live birds carrying infection are bought and sold, and by contact with bird droppings on dirty equipment.

So far, the spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been very rare. The continuing spread of the animal disease raises the prospect of further economic losses. It threatens the livelihoods of millions of poor livestock farmers, jeopardizes smallholder entrepreneurship and commercial poultry production and seriously impedes regional and international trade.

The rural poor are most at risk, because of the way they cohabit with their chickens; they are also the ones who rely for a larger share of their income on poultry and will be hit hardest by the income losses. It is to be feared that avian influenza may soon reach Africa, where veterinary services may not be sufficiently prepared to deal with it.

Avian influenza respects no national boundaries and countries neighbouring affected countries or on the flyways of migratory bird are particularly at risk.

Source: http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/avian_influenza/