May 2005

Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, Rome) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties - OIE, Paris) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva), this 85-page document details a strategy for controlling highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI (also known as bird flu), worldwide. It draws on recommendations made during the 2nd FAO/OIE Regional Meeting on Avian Influenza Control in Asia (February 2005) held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and was prepared in consultation with key partners from Asia.

Specifically, the report provides approaches and implementation plans for the global control of avian flu, which will be implemented over 3 time frames: immediate to short (1-3 years), short to medium (4-6 years) and medium- to long-term (7-10 years). It outlines a general global response rather than a local one, highlighting the importance of capacity building, collaboration, and creation of information systems in times of health emergency. The strategy, which relies centrally on partnership, will be "consolidated and complemented by detailed country-specific avian influenza control plans. These plans are currently being prepared for several countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, parts of Europe and Africa through project formulation missions and exchanges organized by FAO."

This process will be carried out at various levels:

• National level: development of national HPAI control strategies and programmes - A typical country-specific project will adopt a task-force approach, guided by a national steering committee, which will comprise key decision makers and stakeholders and may include national experts, research institutes, non-government organisations (NGOs) and the private sector. A key focus here is on improving capacity at the national level in diagnosis, epidemiology, disease surveillance, and early detection and reporting and disease information systems (which will "provide better analytical capacity to enable the country to participate in disease information sharing within the region, thereby contributing towards progressive regional control and eradication.").
• Regional level: sub-regional cooperation and collaboration - Establishment of coordination units - networks - that will promote open and transparent dialogues on improved disease information sharing, standardisation and regulatory frameworks for the management of animal movement and the control of transboundary animal diseases (TADs), and adherence to OIE guidelines to facilitate regional trade. "Such collaboration will also develop standardization and harmonization of HPAI diagnosis, surveillance and monitoring protocols and disease reporting, regional trade in livestock and livestock products, and HPAI emergency preparedness planning. Sub-regional collaboration will also address policy and regulatory issues..."
• International level: global coordination - An international support facility, based at the FAO headquarters, will forge partnerships among the FAO, OIE and WHO; coordinate the subregional networks; develop a Global Early Warning System (GLEWS) to enable better analysis of the emergence of new infectious diseases; back up subregional networks; play a strategic role in coordinating research in improved tools for HPAI control; provide a global vision for HPAI control strategy; and mobilise and allocate resources for HPAI control and prevention through active donor liaison. The partnership will also organise and conduct joint regional and international workshops and meetings, develop HPAI control strategies for poultry and humans, and enhance cooperation among the various OIE/FAO and WHO collaborating centres and reference laboratories.

The authors advance the following broad guiding principles to be used in developing a global vision for the control of HPAI. Such a vision is:

• characterised by national, regional and international commitment, as well as broad collaboration - the strategy is inclusive.
• multidisciplinary - the strategy integrates technical, social, political, policy and regulatory issues in addressing a complex problem.
• adaptable and knowledge-based - the strategy is responsive to new information and technologies, changing environments and new knowledge.
• pro-poor and economically sustainable - the strategy takes into account the interests of the livelihoods of rural people who live in poverty, encouraging equitable poultry sector growth conditions through a combination of activities.

Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary on the Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.