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APEC Ministers Endorse Action Plan To Counter Bird Flu

Initiative intended to improve prevention and response in Asia-Pacific region

Date: 5 May 2006

Source: USINFO.STATE.GOV

By Susan Krause
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Representatives of the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum have endorsed a five-part action plan to control the spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus and address the threat of a pandemic influenza outbreak among humans.

Senior officials and ministers from the fields of agriculture and health received the plan May 5 at the conclusion of a two-day "Ministerial Meeting on Avian and Influenza Pandemics" in Da Nang, Vietnam.

The meeting was intended to build on an initiative first approved by the leaders of the APEC economies when they met in Busan, South Korea, in November 2005.

That initiative, Preparing for and Mitigating an Influenza Pandemic, identified 11 areas where APEC economies could cooperate with multilateral bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to contain the H5N1 bird flu virus, increase public awareness and education for at-risk populations, and develop pandemic preparedness plans for human health emergencies.

Under the APEC Action Plan on the Prevention and Response to Avian and Influenza Pandemics, APEC member economies agree to work "individually and cooperatively to develop practical approaches to prevent, prepare for, and mitigate the impact of avian influenza and a possible influenza pandemic."

Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has affected birds in nine of the APEC economies. In four of those economies, it has been transmitted to humans. The virus, which first struck in Asia, now has spread to Europe and Africa. Out of 206 reported human cases, 114 people have died. Most of the deaths occurred in Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Thailand, all APEC members.

The new action plan covers five areas:

• Multisectoral cooperation and coordination on avian and pandemic influenza;

• Establishment of best practices and common approaches for risk communications;

• Mitigation of the negative effects of avian influenza on agriculture and trade;

• Cooperation with the private sector to ensure continuity of business, trade and essential services; and

• Strengthened regional and international cooperation.

The plan calls for improved early-detection capacity, increased cooperation between veterinary and human health sectors, development and implementation of practical biosecurity guidelines, cooperation with media to assure accurate and timely dissemination of information, regional projects to improve risk communication and reform of poultry production practices.

Cao Duc Phat, Vietnam's minister for agriculture and rural development and co-chair of the ministerial meeting, said the plan would strengthen the region's capacity to handle outbreaks of avian influenza by increasing international cooperation and sharing of information.

"Ministers have agreed to the Action Plan that creates new avenues for each APEC member to work with colleagues in other economies and at a domestic level to overcome the avian influenza threat," he said.

APEC is the primary forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade, and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. The 21 APEC economies are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.