This PowerPoint Presentation was presented by Try Tan with Susan Mackay as part of the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia Avian Flu Communication Meeting held January 23-24 2006.

The presentation discusses the Avian Influenza (avian flu or bird flu) situation in Cambodia and focuses on the communication response to oubreaks. According to the presentation an Inter-Ministerial Committee to control Avian Influenza was established in Cambodia to control the spread of the virus, including activities related to surveillance, culling, banning bird importation, and communication.

The communication response has included:

• some communication materials produced and disseminated by the Ministry of Agriculture on prevention of transmission from birds to birds;
• training village veterinaries;
• some communication materials produced and disseminated by Ministry of Health since April 2005 - one radio spot; one documentary video; one television (TV) spot; and
• some printed materials for health workers.

UNICEF's communication response:

• hand washing campaign on television and radio in April 2005 (1 month);
• draft communication strategy developed;
• two TV spots on hand washing produced and broadcast (Dec 2005-Jan 2006) on prime-time;
• many print materials pre-tested and being revised;
• 3 TV spots related to seasonal flu being produced: cover cough, hand washing, don't spit;
• a booklet on avian and human flu being produced; and
• a radio and a TV phone-in programmes being developed.

Several next steps are outlined:

• for pre-pandemic, 2 campaigns will alternate throughout 2006:
  
  1. hand-washing & seasonal flu: second wave beginning March 1 2006,
  2. avian flu (human health): starting April 1 2006;

  
  [UPDATED PLANS, as of February 23 2006:
  

  1. Seasonal flu: beginning March 30 2006,
  2. Avian flu (human health) starting April 30 2006;]

• the campaigns will use TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, posters, booklets, T-shirts, caps, billboards, stickers, etc.; and
• development of information, education and communication (IEC) materials designed for the pandemic phase will start May 1 2006.
  
  [UPDATED PLANS, as of February 23 2006: development of IEC materials will start May 30 2006.]