Contacts: In Tbilisi: Inga Paichadze (99532) 913096 / 912659 ipaichadze@worldbank.org In Washington: Merrell Tuck (202) 473-9516
mtuckprimdahl@worldbank.org WASHINGTONJune 1, 2006. The World Bank yesterday approved a US$3.5 million credit and US$3.5 million grant for the Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project in Georgia. This project will minimize the threat posed to humans and the poultry industry in Georgia by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and other zoonoses in domestic poultry, and will prepare for, control, and respond to influenza pandemics and other infectious disease emergencies in humans. To achieve this, three areas will be supported by the project: (i) prevention; (ii) preparedness and planning; and (iii) response and containment. “In January 2006, the Georgian Government established a Steering Commission on Avian Influenza and developed a draft National Preparedness Plan. The Government was thus able to successfully respond to the first outbreak of avian influenza in February,” said Roy Southworth, Country Manager for Georgia. “This project provides a good basis for further preparatory work and creation of a legal framework that will enable the Government to implement recommended disease detection, control, prevention, containment, and eradication measures in a uniform and effective way.” The project consists of three components: (i) animal health; (ii) human health; and (iii) public awareness and communication. Component 1: ANIMAL HEALTH. Total component cost is estimated at US$5.18 million. This component will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture for a legal, regulatory, and institutional review. The project will also provide technical assistance and training to help develop contingency plans that detail required activities at all levels and will develop the necessary implementation guidelines and manuals for all relevant agencies and services. The focus of the work will be on planning for an outbreak and detailing how a response to an outbreak would be managed, including organizing culling programs, isolating the area of outbreak, and testing procedures to determine the spread of the virus. The technical assistance will help ensure that the legal and regulatory framework for disease prevention, detection, containment, and eradication is effective and in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards and guidelines. Support will be provided to strengthen the public veterinary services to bring them in line with OIE standards. This will include training staff and providing priority infrastructure and equipment. It will also include improving selected border inspection posts operated by the Customs Service through training and new equipment and facilities, as well as improving the mobility of the veterinary services. Equipment, software, training, and technical assistance will be provided to improve the reporting of animal health information from the field and the flow of information among relevant agencies. The emphasis will be on developing an efficient disease information system to enable Georgia to participate in global disease information sharing in full compliance with the obligations of membership in the OIE. The project support will be targeted primarily to strengthening the diagnostic capacity that needs to feed into the laboratory system by providing equipment, training, and technical assistance to regional laboratories, inspectors, and veterinarians working on the local level in sample collection and submission, pre-screening, reporting, and follow-up of reported avian influenza cases. Component 2: human health. Total Component Cost is estimated at US$4.32 million. Under this component the Project will help operationalize some elements of HPAI control that are contemplated as part of the global strategic plan, expanding and intensifying the responses rapidly. The emphasis is on reducing the impact of a potential pandemic. The interventions supported under the Project are based on a careful analysis of Georgia’s epidemiological and programmatic needs and are grouped into three broad categories: (A) enhancing public health program planning and coordination through building the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs to command and control in a coordinated fashion the implementation of the plan; (B) strengthening National Public Health Surveillance Systems by improving year-round surveillance; and (C) strengthening health system response capacity by developing social distance interventions, building capacity for effective and accurate methods of diagnosis, expanding vaccinations, and maintaining an anti-viral drug supply stock. Component 3: Public Awareness and Communication. Total component cost is US$0.90 million. This component is intended to promote awareness and improved coordination of the execution of the National Avian Influenza Preparedness Plan and related contingency plans in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health. It is designed to help protect the poultry industry and safeguard human health and to facilitate surveillance and monitoring for outbreaks by improving public awareness and information. Under this component, support will be provided for information and communication activities to increase the attention and commitment of the 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. Georgia joined the World Bank in 1993. Since then, the commitments to the country total approximately US$816 million for 40 operations. For more information about the World Bank’s work on avian flu: http://www.worldbank.org/avianflu |
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