Avian and Human Influenza PandemicThe Issue Afghanistan, Pakistan and India reported outbreaks of avian influenza among poultry in 2006: The avian influenza virus (H5N1) is highly pathogenic; should it mutate and become easily transmitted among humans it could cause a global human influenza pandemic. The impact of this pandemic on children could be severe and lead to serious social and economic disruption unless preventive and mitigating measures are prepared in advance. UNICEF in Action Although UNICEF’s primary role is in communication and social mobilization to change behaviour, it will be called upon to play a far wider role in this case, particularly in strengthening health systems to create sufficient ‘surge demand’ capacity and, in the event of a pandemic, in supply and logistics. Thanks to a generous contribution from the Government of Japan, ROSA has initiated preventive, preparedness and response activities in the following sectors: Preparedness Planning, Programme Communication, Media Communication, and Education.
ROSA has helped its eight Country Offices to prepare and finalize their pandemic contingency plans, and developed its own plan as well. All plans address issues of staff safety and security, and specify measures for programme and operational continuity during a pandemic and for support to national authorities in pandemic preparedness and response. In collaboration with the UNICEF Early Warning and Preparedness Unit in Geneva, ROSA is developing a human influenza pandemic simulation exercise to be used by UNICEF Country Offices and their governmental and non-governmental partners. Through this simulation, Country Offices and ROSA will explore and further develop preparedness for national pandemic responses, identifying events or dynamics that might occur and how to manage them. This exercise will help assess gaps in pandemic preparedness, strengthening team building for managing pandemic and other emergency responses. Programme Communication In 2006 ROSA organized regional and country level Behaviour Monitoring Workshops in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Thimpu, Bhutan, and will provide technical support in organizing behaviour change communication workshops in Afghanistan and the Maldives in 2007. These workshops will support communication preparedness regarding avian and human influenza and enhance staff capacity to prepare national communication strategies for avian and human influenza in their countries and to monitor programme/project activities, using the ROSA Toolkit for Behaviour Change Communication in Emergencies. ROSA’s Regional Programme Communication cluster is providing technical support to the Country Offices and helping them to prepare or refine their national Communication Strategies for Avian Influenza, as well as to develop protocols for outbreak communication and key messages for avian and human influenza. A number of missions already taken place in Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. Others are scheduled in the coming months.
With the cooperation of other partner UN agencies in the region, ROSA is producing public service announcements for radio and television. These will provide easily understood information, primarily aimed at children, that is attention grabbing and that imparts life-saving messages. The intention is to provide quick solutions for UNICEF offices, other UN partners, or Health Ministries seeking to disseminate information when it may not be possible to research and field test appropriate messages.
EAPRO and ROSA are jointly developing materials to prevent avian flu transmission, focusing on hygiene behaviour and risk awareness. These materials are aimed at primary and secondary levels and will be widely disseminated to all Country Offices in South and East Asia.
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