(IN): India to prepare road map against bird flu

[Guest guest]

Link:

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070034410 & ch=11/30/200\

7%2010:54:00%20AM

 

*India to prepare road map against bird flu*

 

Lalit K Jha

Friday, November 30, 2007 (United Nations)

Impressed by its successful handling of outbreak of the deadly bird flu this

year, India has been asked to prepare a road map of what the rest of the

world can do in tackling the avian influenza, which hit as many as 60

countries this as against, 55 last year and 16 nations in 2005.

 

India would be ''submitting the road map'' in the upcoming ministerial level

conference on avian and pandemic influenza next week in New Delhi.

 

As many as 92 countries, including 60 ministers, are likely to participate

in the three-day conference beginning December 4.

 

Fifth in the series of high level discussions on this issue, 23

international and regional organizations would also be participating in the

meet.

 

''A novelty in this conference would be that the host government (India) is

expected to prepare a road map for what countries ought to be thinking of

doing during the next year,'' said Dr David Nabarro, Senior UN System

Influenza Coordinator.

 

He said this at a press conference at the UN headquarters after releasing

the Third Global Progress Report on ''responses to Avian Influenza and State

of Pandemic Readiness.''

 

Although capacity to respond to outbreaks of avian influenza had improved

dramatically over the past years, there was no reason for complacency as

pandemic preparedness against mutant viruses still needed to be maintained

and improved around the world, he said.

 

*Commendable effort*

 

Dr Nabarro identified six countries, which were of concern where the deadly

virus was enzootic. These countries are Bangladesh, in India's immediate

neighborhood, besides, Indonesia and Vietnam in South East Asia, Egypt,

Nigeria and China.

 

It is in this regard that India's effort in successfully containing the bird

flu, he said is commendable despite that there were a few instances of its

outbreak.

 

''India had two significant outbreaks in the last year. We were very pleased

that they had a master plan on how they are going to do it. The master plan

was put in place to prevent the outbreak - one in Ahmadabad area and also in

the Mizoram. It does looks at us that it was very successfully contained,''

Dr Nabarro told NDTV.Com.

 

''One of the important things and the significance of the Indian experience

is the crucial role played by the district local officials, who organized

quite rapid and effective response around the affected areas,'' said Dr

Nabarro.

 

''The government was quick in paying the compensation to the poultry farm

owners. That is a good model,'' he added.

It is primarily due to these reasons that India would be taking the lead in

preparing and submitting the road map for tackling avail influenza at the

global level, he said.

 

The conference would provides opportunities to the governments to meet

together to review how they are getting on with regard to avian influenza,

to assess their progress on pandemic preparedness and to look at some of the

big political challenges they face.

 

''There would be two sessions, which would look at some of the broader

implications of what we are dealing with. There would also be an analysis of

what the international assistance that is being given for this issue,'' he

said.

 

Earlier releasing the report, which he said would provide information to the

participating countries at the New Delhi meet, Dr Nabarro warned that when

the next pandemic appears, heightened human need will deepen the plight of

people in poorer countries.

 

The report has been compiled by Dr Nabarro in cooperation with the World

Bank.

 

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.freewebs.com/elephantpolo