WHO urges greater preparedness for avian flu

The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday warned that unless African countries are adequately prepared, a pandemic of avian influenza would remain a threat to the continent.

"This potentially catastrophic situation requires strong government leadership for the finalisation and timely implementation of national multisectoral preparedness and response plans," Dr Luis Sambo, WHO regional director for Africa, told the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

"Government responses should be within a global partnership that is well coordinated, well resourced with adequate funding, and based on the principle of equity."

Since Nigeria confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in February, an increasing number of African countries has noted the infection in birds.

The regional director told the gathering of ministers that as at 7 April 2006, 36 countries in the region had confirmed the establishment of a multisectoral preparedness and response plan.

"Also, 40 percent of member states have had the plans approved and shared them with development partners for resource mobilisation," he added.

Lack of relevant standard operating procedures, weak transport and communication infrastructure, weak general administration and logistic systems, high rates of illiteracy, widespread poverty and huge economic losses due to disruption of trade are among the challenges the continent faces with regard to the pandemic.

The regional director pledged that the WHO, with other development partners, would continue to help to mobilise the resources to fight the bird flu threat.

The agency urged countries to take action in several areas, including enhancing preparedness and response coordination at the national and regional levels; reducing opportunities for human infection with H5N1, strengthening early warning systems; delaying and containing the spread of influenza at source and boosting national health systems.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who also addressed the gathering, noted that HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases continued to cause unacceptable levels of suffering and mortality in Africa.

"It needs little emphasis that the condition of our people in Africa in the health sector is extremely depressing, with both humanitarian and economic implications.

The existing overall limitations in resources and capacity have meant that natural disasters such as the recent flood in Ethiopia usually cause massive humanitarian and health problems affecting thousands of people," Meles said.

dt/kr/mw