UNDP Programming for Avian Influenza

What is the UN doing?

The UN’s two-track response: 1. Reduce economic losses in the poultry sector, limit sporadic human cases and diminish the likelihood of a human influenza pandemic. 2. Prepare to minimise the impact of future pandemic(s). Source: Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza: UN System Contributions and Requirements (UNSIC, Jan 2006)

Who does what? FAO/OIE – animal health and surveillance WHO – human health and epidemiology UNEP – monitoring wild bird movements UNICEF – public information campaigns OCHA/WFP/UNHCR – ensuring contingency planning, early warning and humanitarian assistance UNDP – ensuring multi-sectoral government planning and response

The UNDP Response Protect our staff and their families (UNDP/OHR Working Group) Assist our programme countries to prepare for and respond to a possible pandemic (UNDP Avian Flu Task Force)

UNDP Programme Response UNDP has developed a Guidance Note for providing support to Governments on avian flu, and is developing a resource mobilisation strategy in order to maximise available funding. BCPR is making available US$20,000 for high-risk countries (limited national capacities for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response planning) and up to an additional US $75,000 for affected countries (virus spreading locally and culling of birds taking place)

UNDP’s Guidance Note is based on the Asia experience Support to the RC’s coordination role Develop partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs and civil society Incorporate a disaster risk management perspective into national preparedness plans Capacity building support to preparation and implementation of national plans Ensuring multi-sectoral national pandemic plans

But we are identifying other ways to help, based on UNDP’s comparative advantages: E-governance Environmental monitoring Alternative livelihoods Border management Aid coordination/management Compensation schemes Socio-economic impact analyses

UNDP programme areas Poverty Reduction Democratic Governance ICT Energy and Environment HIV/AIDS Human Rights

Poverty Reduction IDEAS! Joint programme with FAO to improve livestock services (FAO) and promote alternative livelihoods (UNDP) Local economic development agencies to provide training and microfinance services within affected communities Public-private partnership with poultry industry groups to improve outreach and response Improve government capacity for implementation of compensation schemes Think big and long-term: The UNHSTF will consider proposals for avian flu and human security. Think short-term “pilot”: BDP funding is available through the Poverty TTF. Avian flu will make poor people poorer

Democratic Governance IDEAS! Developing capacity for policy response to avian/human influenza Providing policy options to government Dealing with intellectual property rights in pharmaceutical production Building capacity of local officials (including rule-of-law) to implement government preparation and response strategies Involving civil society in oversight of government response Involving civil society in local-level preparedness and mitigation (including private sector) Developing training for border management (communications campaigns, quarantine procedures, guidelines for movement restriction, etc.) Think BDP: Democratic Governance TTF Think BCPR: TRAC 3 funding for natural disasters Avian flu response will challenge weak governments The success of avian flu containment will rest on local level implementation

ICT for Governance IDEAS! Ensuring a “sterile” electronic communication network for government Assisting with e-governance initiatives, covering essential Government services Building capacity of local governments to establish and use IT in times of crisis Using GIS and database tools to enhance monitoring There are many “creative” sources of funding Government services will cease to function within 3-6 weeks of the onset of a pandemic

Energy and Environment IDEAS! Wetlands monitoring Establishing environmental surveillance systems for wild birds Think big! GEF is your potential donor Think long-term! What will your country need to effectively deal with avian flu for the next 5-10 years? Avian flu will be a recurring problem for the next decade

HIV/AIDS IDEAS! Information campaigns for at-risk groups Special medical interventions for HIV- affected (at special risk for human infection) Access to drugs and distribution networks Think Private Sector! Pfizer’s Global Health Fellows programme Mutation of the virus to more easily infect humans is a danger

Human Rights IDEAS! Ensuring respect for human rights in quarantine and treatment situations Ensuring respect for human rights during populations movements in the event of a pandemic (border crossing, etc.) Think joint programme: UNDP and OHCHR Government responses will not be uniform in implementation

If you have questions, please ask RBEC’s avian flu focal points: Christina Carlson Tara Bray