Date:05/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120561431500.htm

National

Call to explore low-cost options in fight against avian flu

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday called upon the global community to look at low-cost options also in the fight against avian and human influenza, even while taking efforts to fill the gap between the projected needs for fund and its availability.

Speaking at the inaugural function of an international ministerial conference on avian and pandemic influenza here, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said that empowerment of the community was emerging as the most powerful tool in preparing for the pandemic and all the countries and the organisations need to focus on this aspect.

The World Bank has projected that for a reasonable level of preparedness for avian and human influzenza, developing countries would need to spend at least $2.2 billion over a two to three-year period, while international organisations would require at least $325 million annually to support these activities. The current gap for mobilising resources for the country programmes is estimated at $960 million, or more than 40 per cent of the identified needs.

Pointing out that from the Beijing and Bamako pledges, $649 million were still available to help fill the gap, he said, “while this gap [in resources] must be minimised, I would urge that we need to look at low-cost options also.”

Bio-security measures

Detailing the efforts being taken by India to fight the avian influenza, he said there was an urgent need to develop bio-security measures that were simple and affordable. This was because the level of bio-security needed to be raised at various levels, from the large commercial breeders to the small backyard poultry holders.

He noted that prompt and reasonable compensation for poultry farmers, whose birds were culled, was the hallmark of India’s operations to contain the outbreaks of avian influenza.

The Central Government had paid more than $2.1 million as compensation for poultry and feed material last year and this year.

He also pointed out that there was perfect coordination between the Health and Animal Husbandry Ministries and between the Centre and the States during the outbreaks. “India maintained absolute transparency in sharing information promptly. We did not quibble over the pathogenocity of the virus nor about the fact that in 2007, the disease was confined and localised to a small farm of less than 150 birds in the north eastern part of the country.”