AHI FACILITY Avian & Human Influenza 58055 VIETNAM Shifting from Emergency Response to Integrated Disease Control and Prevention A vian and Human Influenza (AHI) infection has been Emergency Recovery Project " (AIERP). This was the first costly for Vietnam in terms of human life and such project anywhere in the World and it provided a economic impact. To date, Vietnam has reported model that was subsequently replicated in many 106 human cases, including 52 fatalities - second only to countries. The Project focused on enhancing national Indonesia, and the direct costs are estimated at over surveillance and diagnostic capacity and helped to US$200 million. safeguard public health by raising awareness of the risks and mitigation measures. The damage caused by the epidemic, which peaked in 2004/2005, stretched along the entire poultry marketing The approach developed under AIERP provided the chain. In the commercial sector, market closures and foundation for a second generation project, the Vietnam animal movement bans imposed in Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness outbreak areas, combined with the mass Project (VAHIP) which received $10 million from the AHI Vietnam has made great culling of diseased or in-contact poultry, Facility. strides in fighting Highly resulted in the depopulation of many Pathogenic Avian farms, affecting the livelihoods of Becoming effective in August 2007, the VAHIP aims to middlemen, feed mills, poultry medicine assist the government to shift from emergency response Influenza. Since the first distributors and live-bird market to medium to long-term integrated disease control and case was confirmed on operators, slaughterhouses and prevention programs for both poultry industry and January 8, 2004, Vietnam processors. Smallholder poultry owners has experienced five suffered even more and despite limited diminishing waves of compensation payments from infection in poultry. In Government, thousands lost their each case the epidemic livelihood. has been contained, but the viruses continue to circulate. Responding to the Crisis In 2004, at the request of the Government, a World Bank/FAO Cooperative Program team reviewed the National Action Plan for the Control and Eradication of Avian Influenza, and subsequently prepared an emergency project: "The Avian Influenza human population. It targets eleven high priority provinces and, by ensuring early detection and response to poultry and human cases and preparing for the medical consequences of a human pandemic it seeks to control the disease at source. Continuing to Pioneer Advances In Animal health, veterinary services have been strengthened through laboratory needs analysis, provision of missing equipment and training, and the introduction of laboratory quality management. Disease surveillance and epidemiological investigations have been improved at both the central and provincial levels. The preventive health system at local level was strengthened - Market-based disease control has been introduced and adopted capacity, policies and structures of human resources, equipment and - to break infection chains that bring disease back to farms through training at the district level to deal with H5N1 but also with recent live birds. Ring poultry vaccination is also being conducted on a H1N1 and other epidemic diseases (i.e. malaria, dengue fever, etc.). regular basis and border animal quarantine activities have been implemented. Emerging Lessons Preparing for poultry sector restructuring, staff of the Department of Livestock have been trained and the Vietnam's Women Union, As one of the countries that has pioneered an effective response to working alongside FAO, have been mobilized to provide technical HPAI, lessons emerging from the Vietnam experience are particularly assistance in poultry production areas. relevant. Some of the main lessons are: The project aims to support emergency containment of disease · Closecoordinationandcooperationbetweenanimalhealth through rapid response, provided by farmers or the network of andhumanhealthespeciallyattheprovincialandlocallevels Commune Animal Health Workers and telephone hotlines. areonekeytosuccess:The single Provincial Project Management Unit where both animal and human health sector staff work In the Human Health sector, together, share facilities and resources was a challenge to Key Data improvements were establish, but proved more efficient and successful then the split targeted to improving the responsibilities found at the National level. Grant Amount: $10 million technical quality and func tioning of the · Surveillanceandcontrolmeasuresarestillimportantin Disbursement (to end March surveillance and response themediumandlongterms: Despite a reduction in the 2010): $3.4 million system - the quality and number of cases since 2004, the risk of further outbreaks of timeliness of reports and avian influenza remains high especially if control measures Closing Date: December 2010 decision making, the such as vaccination are relaxed and biosecurity measures implementation of an early aimed at reducing the risk of infection are not introduced. warning and rapid response mechanisms. · Strengtheninglocalcapacitytorespondtotheevolving epidemiological situation and other emerging Facilities and training have been provided to control infection of communicablediseasesisimportant: Based on the success health care facilities at the provincial and district levels to improve of the pilot investments in preventive medicine centers at the their curative capacity. A facility preparedness plan including district level, these are likely to be replicated to all districts. review of options and needs, development of mechanisms to deploy equipment and supply to respond to pandemic situations · Flexibilityandtimelyresponsearecritical: It is important and review and update technical guidelines and develop training to closely monitor the epidemiological situation and manuals for AI pandemic control is being developed. continually adapt control measures. The project supported piloting ring vaccination exercises in the project provinces and A survey to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) was improving biosecurity at small scale poultry farms. Lessons conducted; training was provided to provincial, district, commune from these should be learned to help the government in and village health workers to carry out behavioral change formulating more effective control measures which are more communication and community awareness raising activities and suitable to the country and farm conditions. information, education and communication campaigns. · Internationalcollaborationandknowledgesharingare vital: In fighting against HPAI, H1N1, and other epidemics. AHI The AHI Facility is a Multi-donor Trust Fund administered by the World Bank and supported by Australia, FACILITY China, the European Commission, Estonia, Iceland, India, Korea, Slovenia, the Russian Federation and the Avian & Human Influenza United Kingdom