Turkey - Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AC2113 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 01/24/2006 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Turkey Project ID: P096262 Project Name: Avian Influenza & Human Pandemic Preparedness & Response APL 2 Project Task Team Leader: Mark R. Lundell Estimated Appraisal Date: December 16, 2005 Estimated Board Date: March 2, 2006 Managing Unit: ECSSD Lending Instrument: Emergency Recovery Loan Sector: Animal production (40%);Health (30%);Agro-industry (30%) Theme: Natural disaster management (P);Other communicable diseases (P);Rural policies and institutions (S);Other environment and natural resources management (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 15.40 IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER 6.49 BILATERAL AGENCIES (UNIDENTIFIED) 3.69 FOREIGN MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS (UNIDENTIFIED) 9.84 20.02 B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN] The overall objective of the Project is to minimize the threat in Turkey posed to humans by HPAI infection and other zoonoses in domestic poultry and prepare for, control, and respond to influenza pandemic and other infectious disease emergencies in humans. To achieve this, three areas will be supported: (i) prevention, (ii) preparedness and planning and (iii) response and containment. Achieving these goals will contribute to diminishing the burden of disease and loss of productivity in Turkey, limiting the regional spread of HPAI, and enhancing economic and social prospects at the national, regional, and global levels. C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN] The Project is likely to finance activities under three components: (i) animal health, (ii) human health, (iii) public awareness and coordination support. Page 2 Component I. Animal Health: The Project will support activities to cover the needs in the short, medium or long-term, and ranging from prevention, to control and total eradication of HPAI, which have been based on an assessment of the particular conditions, constraints and possibilities in Turkey (including a rapid assessment of veterinary services and recent assessments of the poultry sector). The Project activities will support strategy development, the improvement of the regulatory framework and epidemiological studies and surveillance programs to inform the improvement of disease control measures. Strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and its affiliated reference and regional diagnostic laboratories in detection, reporting and follow-up of reported AI cases will be another goal of the project. Support to activities related to the implementation of the containment plan for AI outbreaks such as targeting virus eradication at the source, restructuring of the poultry sector through the reduction of the practice of backyard poultry raising, improving the opportunity for slaughtering of layers, and promoting manure management of backyard poultry that is in conformity with existing environmental regulations will also be targeted by the project. Component II. Human Health: The Project will help to operationalize some elements that are contemplated as part of the global strategic plan, and expanding and intensifying the responses rapidly. As it is unlikely that the global spread of a pandemic influenza virus could be prevented once it emerges, the emphasis is on reducing its impact. Several tools will help achieve this aim: (i) year-round surveillance; (ii) effective and accurate methods of diagnosis; (iii) social distance interventions; (iv) vaccines (once they become available); (v) anti-viral drugs; and (vi) strengthened medical services. The project will help the Ministry of Health (MOH) to build its institutional capacity to implement the recently prepared national pandemic influenza action plan in coordination with MARA. The project will also improve the health information and communication systems as well as public health laboratories' capacities. Component III. Public Awareness and Information: Support will be provided for information and communication activities to increase the attention and commitment of government, private sector, and civil society organizations, and to raise awareness, knowledge and understanding among the general population about the risk and potential impact of the pandemic. The existing consultative entity National Zoonotic Disease Committee that will become a truly functioning supra-ministerial coordinating agency between MARA and MOH and partnering with other sector representatives (environment, transportation, interior, etc.) will establish a Secretariat to implement the national awareness activities and in case of an AI outbreak, it will be in charge of triggering emergency responses by MARA and MOH, monitoring the actions taken, and coordinating public statements to the media. This component will also support project implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation activities. D. Project location (if known) The AIHP is a national project which covers all regions of Turkey, to varying degrees. However, for specific components certain provinces are targeted where reference, regional and public health laboratories exist (for strengthening of animal and public health disease surveillance capacity) and/or where poultry production is heavily concentrated (for the purposes of virus eradication at the source and restructuring of the poultry sector). E. Borrower