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Strengthening Turkmenistan's Capacity to Control Avian Influenza
Oraz Sultanov of the Ashgabat Office tells the story.

Three years ago, the threat of Avian Influenza loomed in          Photo Gallery
Turkmenistan. Neighboring countries were struggling to
contain outbreaks of this lethal disease. And Turkmenistan
was an important stopover for thousands of migratory birds,
which could carry the virus.

Thanks to Government efforts to contain and control the
spread of the virus and prepare for a possible outbreak of
Avian Influenza in people and animals, there have been no
cases of Avian Influenza in the country to-date. The
Government's program was carried out through support from         Related Links
the World Bank.
                                                                  World Bank in Turkmenistan
To prevent and control outbreaks in animals, better planning,     Turkmenistan Avial Influenza Project
coordination and surveillance was needed. So were faster
                                                                  Avian and Human Influenza (World Bank
and more reliable tests for the dangerous and infectious virus.   web resource)

The Avian Influenza virus is widespread in poultry and is a       Avian Influenza (European Commission
                                                                  web resource)
risk to human health. Infected poultry can infect humans.
Once in the human body, the virus can mutate so it is easily
transmitted from person to person.

Following a thorough assessment of Turkmenistan's laboratory services, the country's central veterinary
laboratory was renovated and equipped to allow testing of this dangerous virus in a highly secure and
contained environment to avoid any risk of it spreading and infecting others. To this end, staff were
trained to handle and test Avian Influenza samples safely and accurately. Regional laboratories were
also renovated and provided with basic equipment so that staff there could perform preliminary tests.

                        "About 130 people have benefited from the training delivered under the project
                        which strengthened their knowledge on the Avian Influenza and similar diseases
                        among birds, their prevention, diagnostics and treatment. Also, several
                        specialists have attended laboratory training of an international caliber," says
                        Akmurad Yazkhanov, coordinator of the Animal Health component from the
                        Veterinary Union.

                       Key ministries and government agencies practiced responding to a simulated
Akmurad Yazkhanov      outbreak. As a result, they put in place a number of interagency responses and
                       coordination mechanisms to insure effective collaboration among the Ministry of
Health and Medical Industry, the Veterinary Union and Ministry of Nature Protection, and others.

A vast communications campaign was carried out to inform the public about Avian Influenza and
measures to mitigate it. Broadcasts on the topic aired on Turkmen TV. Posters, video and radio spots on
Avian Influenza prevention and safe practices were developed by the Health Communication Center of
the Ministry of Health and UNICEF. Nearly three million posters, booklets, brochures, information
calendars for each target group—health workers, veterinary workers, schoolchildren, hunters—were
printed and disseminated throughout the country.

Fortunately, the country has had no registered cases of Avian Influenza to-date, and is now better
prepared to respond to any potential outbreaks.