World Bank Supports Nigeria’s Efforts To Combat Avian Flu

In Nigeria: Obadiah Tohomdet (234-9) 314 5269
otohomdet@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2006 – The World Bank Board of Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit [1] of US$50 million to support Nigeria’s efforts to minimize the threat posed by the avian flu virus to humans and to the poultry industry, and prepare the necessary control measures to respond to a possible influenza pandemic.

The Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response project falls under the Global Program for Avian Influenza (GPAI) approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors in January 2006. It aims to prevent the further spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to other parts of Nigeria not yet infected by the virus. The GPAI is designed to provide emergency financing to participating countries to contain outbreaks of avian flu through early detection and rapid response measures.

Some project activities will include technical and financial support to farmers and veterinary and health services, to help them tackle the virus at its animal source and reduce opportunities for transmission to humans. Experience shows that early detection and rapid response are critical to containing the virus and preventing its spread in the environment, thus minimizing the threats posed by the disease to humans.

“The proposed project will help put in place the institutional capacity to mitigate massive poultry losses due to avian flu and to minimize its impact on the agricultural economy, and the rural poor by providing compensation for poultry lost to the virus,” said Simeon Ehui the World Bank Task Team Leader of the project.

The Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response project will focus on three main components:

• Animal Health component—will support national prevention and control strategies to cover the country’s needs over the short, medium and long term, based on detailed assessments of the avian flu epidemiological status, the capacity of national veterinary services to cope with HPAI epidemic and the vulnerability of the poultry industry to new emerging infectious diseases. 
• Human Health component— will support the implementation of HPAI prevention, preparedness, response and containment activities in the human health sector as contained in the Avian Influenza Regional Program. Initial support will focus on prevention and reporting of human cases through the protection of farm workers and others who are in direct contact with sick birds, social mobilization and raising public awareness and strengthening of the surveillance and laboratory capacity in the affected states. 
• Social Mobilization and Strategic Communication component—is designed to promote public awareness, participation and improved coordination in the execution of emergency contingency plans as outlined under the National Avian Influenza Plan. In building higher levels of public awareness about the risks, the project will help identify lines of communication, social beliefs, practices and perceptions which affect behavior and stakeholder habits.

This project is in line with the Avian Influenza Agriculture and Health Strategies developed by the Government of Nigeria and supports the public veterinary and health response strategies in line with, with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bank, and other bilateral agencies.

[1] The credit is provided on standard International Development Association (IDA) terms, with a commitment fee of 0.35 percent, a service charge of 0.75 percent over a 40 year period of maturity which includes a 10-year grace period.