International conference to fight avian influenza

They also appealed to the international community to come forward with funds to make it work and help stave off the risk of an influenza pandemic.

The new plan was drawn up in an attempt to offer a response to the increasing threat of the virus as it continues to grow across Asia. Delegates at the three-day conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have ruled that priority should be given to small-scale and backyard farms, where the majority of human cases since the avian influenza outbreak became known in early 2004.

The main points of the strategy are to educate farmers and their families about the dangers of high-risk behavior and how to change their farming practices; to segregate different species of animals and eliminate their interaction with humans; to provide compensation for farmers in an effort to encourage them to report suspected avian influenza outbreaks; and to continue vaccinating poultry flocks as part of a multi-element response to the avian influenza threat in high-risk areas.

The conference is calling on the international community to help with the funding of the implementation, as some affected countries are likely to struggle. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the cost of an effective response on the public health front at about $150 million, mainly for capacity building in affected countries. Some of the funds are earmarked for antiviral drugs and personal protective equipment for people most at risk of infection.

“We have no illusions about hard the job will be, but we are not powerless,” said Shigeru Omi, regional director of the western Pacific region of WHO. “This plan gives us a real chance to make a mark on history – as long as we work together with maximum energy and commitment.”