UNDP Programming for Avian Influenza

Presentation by Christina CarlsonUNDP/RBEC Avian Flu Focal Point

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).

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 is in the process of developing both a programme strategy for providing support to Governments on avian flu, and a resource mobilisation strategy in order to maximise available funding.

BCPR is offering US$20,000 per country (US $100,000 for endemic countries) for

assisting Governments in national planning and response efforts.

UNDP’s Draft Strategy 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

But we are identifying other ways to help, based on RBEC’s experience:

E-governance

Environmental monitoring

Alternative livelihoods

Border management

Aid coordination/management

Public-private partnerships

UNDP programme areas

• Poverty Reduction

• Democratic Governance

• ICT

• Energy and Environment

• HIV/AIDS

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 microcredit support within affected communities

• Public-private partnership with poultry industry groups to improve outreach and response

Think big and long-term: The UNHSTF has funding 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 policy for response to avian/human influenza• 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• 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 DevelopmentIDEAS!

• 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

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)

Think Private Sector! Pfizer’s Global Health Fellows programme

People with depressed immune systems are at risk to contract avian flu

Mutation of the virus to more easily infect humans is a danger

If you have questions, please ask RBEC’s avian

flu focal points:

Christina Carlson

Tara Bray