Follow-up actions on the recommendations of the thirtieth session of WHO SEA-ACHR: avian influenza research

Thirty-first session of WHO South-East Asia Advisory Committee on Health Research Kathmandu, Nepal, 21-23 July 2009 SEA/ACHR/31/6 18 July 2009 Agenda Item 3.1.2 FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE THIRTIETH SESSION OF WHO SEA-ACHR: AVIAN INFLUENZA RESEARCH FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE THIRTIETH SESSION OF WHO SEA-ACHR: AVIAN INFLUENZA RESEARCH This paper reports on the implementation of the recommendation of the thirtieth session of the Advisory Committee on Health Research held at Jakarta from 14- 16 March 2007 with regard to research on avian influenza. There were three specific recommendations made as follows: • Setting up of a Technical Advisory Committee on Avian Influenza in SEARO; • Disseminating the results of the pilot project on prevention and control of avian influenza to Member countries, and • Assisting in identifying experts in data analysis for analyzing the existing data collected in Indonesia. A Regional Task Force on Avian Influenza was constituted at SEARO in April 2007 with the following terms of reference: • To periodically review progress in research in emerging infectious diseases, particularly avian influenza and Pandemic Influenza; • To advise WHO on research priorities in avian influenza and application of research in programme implementation and strategy and policy formulation; • To facilitate information exchange on avian influenza surveillance tools, modelling, forecasting system, behavioural change interventions, diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, and • To advocate at global, regional and national levels for increased commitment and resources for research on avian influenza and pandemic Influenza. A national consultation on Avian Influenza was organized at Jakarta from 8-9 November 2007 to review the situation in Indonesia and to discuss the outcome of pilot projects undertaken on prevention and control of Avian Influenza. Experts 1 from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and from WHO, FAO and UNICEF participated at this meeting. Several recommendations were made for prevention of human exposure to poultry avian influenza and for reduction of case fatality due to H5N1 infection. The group identified priority areas for research in avian influenza. The five priority areas identified under clinical case management were: • Identification of clinical predictors of human AI infection; • Improved understanding of the spectrum of human clinical infection with AI; • Enhancing early recognition of suspected human AI cases in low-care settings; • Studying the efficacy and adverse effect of antiviral drugs, and • Identification of possible alternative models for human AI cases. A Regional Task Force meeting on avian influenza was organized in Bali from 3-5 March 2008. The Task Force identified the research priorities as listed in Annex 4 of the report of the meeting. The task force appreciated that capacity to undertake research is not balanced between countries and this impacts the collective regional effort. There is a need for improved coordination, oversight and strengthening of national, regional and global endeavours in carrying out research on AI. Two research projects on avian influenza are being supported in Indonesia. They are: • Social and Behavioural Research on Avian Influenza in Indonesia, and • Environmental Sampling of AI Virus in Live Bird Markets in Indonesia. WHO Country Office, Indonesia with technical inputs from Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology unit at the Regional Office gave continuous technical support for data analysis to work collaboratively with the National Committee on AI Prevention and Control Program. 2 WHO has sponsored the participation of Indonesian scientists and clinicians in international conferences held in Italy, South Korea, Thailand and Hongkong to share knowledge and best practices in AI case management and disease control. O:\EIP\RPC\ACHR\31 ACHR\ Final documents\SEA-ACHR-31-6_Avian Influenza Research _18 July 09 at 1255 hrs 3