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-governanceEnvironmental monitoring

Alternative livelihoodsBorder management

Aid coordination/managementCompensation 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 GovernanceIDEAS!

• 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 GovernanceIDEAS!

• 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 EnvironmentIDEAS!

• 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/AIDSIDEAS!

• 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 RightsIDEAS!

• 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