Ashgabat, 20 March, 2008 - Yesterday, a workshop to discuss the Environment Assessment and Management Plan of the Turkmenistan Avian Influenza Project was carried out. The workshop was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Sanitary Epidemiology Service (SES), National Veterinary Union, Central Veterinary Lab, Ministry of Nature Protection, as well as the Scientific & Research Cattle Breeding Institute, Society of Hunters and Fishers, Winrock International, UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank.

The purpose of the workshop was to receive feedback from stakeholders on the draft Environmental Assessment and Environmental Management Plan which was presented to the audience and to disseminate information about the project.

The Environment Assessment and Management Plan identifies the significant environmental and social impacts of the project and specifies appropriate preventive actions and mitigation measures to prevent, eliminate or minimize any anticipated adverse impacts.

Among the specific comments made by the participants, there were:

a) providing guidelines and information to the staff of communal service dealing with cleaning of parks and streets in towns and provinces on how to handle dead birds;

b) considering them a risky group and provide them with seasonal influenza vaccination; and

c) providing information flyers to the bird hunters on basic protective measures when handling birds.

These comments will be incorporated in to the Environment Assessment and Management Plan which will then be finalized and disseminated.

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On February 27, 2008, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan has signed the Grant Agreement on the Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project on behalf of the Government of Turkmenistan. The project is funded through the Avian and Human Influenza facility and amounts to US$1.9 million, of which US$1,1 is provided by the European Community and US$0.8 is provided by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund Gran through the World Bank.