Rural development in Western and Central Africa INFORMATION NOTE ON THE AVIAN FLU PANDEMIC IN AFRICA

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Avian Flu at Glance First identified in Italy in 1878 Highly pathogenic avian influenza is characterized by sudden onset of severe disease, rapid contagion, and a mortality rate that can approach 100% within 48 hours. Named sometimes as “chicken Ebola”. All outbreaks of the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza have been caused by viruses of the H5 and H7 subtypes. Recent research has shown that H5 and H7 viruses of low pathogenicity can, after circulation for sometimes short periods in a poultry population, mutate into highly pathogenic viruses. Continuing and rapid spread of avian influenza poses serious challenges for the countries in Africa. Widespread concern that the virus causing bird flu might start to spread easily from person to person, prompting a human influenza pandemic.

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Situation Worldwide & in Africa As of end of April 2006, donors pledge 1.5 billion dollars to fight the disease internationally, (i.e., $50 million highly concessional loan from the WB to assist Nigeria in March 2006); Confirmed human deaths ( It is the WHO that has been charting human bird flu deaths since the start of 2003, although earlier outbreaks occurred in Asia from 1997): As of May 8, WHO confirmed 207 humans infected around the world, of which 115 had died. Of that total, Vietnam had the largest number of deaths, with 42, followed by Indonesia with 25, Thailand with 14 and China with 12. Outside Asia, Azerbaijan had 5 confirmed deaths, Turkey 4 and Egypt 5.

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Situation in Africa February 2006 –H5N1 is detected for the first time in Africa, at a chicken farm in Nigeria. It is later found in neighbouring Niger as well –The first HN51 cases in animals are reported from Egypt. March 2006 –Cases in birds are reported from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya –Countries as diverse as Senegal, Niger, Cameroon, Congo, and Mauritania announced plans to prepare for potential outbreaks –The Poultry Association of Nigeria says its members have lost around six million dollars (4.88 million euros) due to bird flu in less than a month. African rural poor are the most severely affected by this outbreak. Economic loss to poor farmers have been estimated to hundreds of millions of US dollars in Nigeria alone (no accurate data available on impact in affected countries). April/May 2006 –Egypt says a third and then a fifth person has died of bird flu on its territory out of 13 cases –Burkina Faso announced its first cases among poultry –Côte d’Ivoire is the latest in Africa to declare finding cases nationwide

Rural development in Western and Central Africa IFAD/PA Response in WCA All IFAD-funded projects in all of the 24 countries of the Western and Central Africa Region were requested to: Immediately assess, in coordination with local authorities, the situation in their respective geographical areas, as well as nationally; Set-up, in line with governments’ directives, awareness building and other contingency measures to allow IFAD- funded project’s beneficiaries to face the threat; To collect information on the situation and the measures undertaken., through their respective administrations, FAO, WHO, the World Bank and other relevant institutions, To prepare ad-hoc reports and forward to IFAD/PA. These reports were to be updated regularly.

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Progress made so far: Nigeria (first case in Africa) According the WHO (22 February 2006), the initial outbreak in Kaduna state is now known to have begun on 10 January. The scale of the outbreak in birds is not yet fully understood. However the Nigerian authorities formally reported the avian influenza virus infection (H5NI) in domestic poultry on 7 February By end of March to mid-April 2006, all IFAD project-funded staff were trained on avian influenza, with emphasis on disease surveillance and awareness campaign on mitigation measures. The aim of this training is to provide awareness building to IFAD’s projects’ beneficiaries on how to detect and cope with the disease. Niger, Senegal, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire & Kenya Besides Egypt, no human cases were reported in Africa. However, the above countries drafted individual, and some collective, contingency or action plans to fight the disease. Assessment of the extent of AI on rural poor in WCA (IFAD consultant – Prevention & mitigation measures for rural communities )

Rural development in Western and Central Africa IFAD/PA plan (1) Within the UN framework (memo of UNSG of 17 March 06),and in line with its mandate (rural poor), IFAD is undertaking an assessment of the outbreak in the Western and Central Africa Region (WCA). The assessment is to pursue the following: –Assess the current situation of the disease outbreak in affected countries (Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire) and provide an overview of potential associated risks in the region and particularly to the rural poor. –Assess the current implementation of disease outbreak control measures in affected countries and advise/suggest improvements needed.

Rural development in Western and Central Africa IFAD/PA plan (2) IFAD will look at technical soundness and feasibility of implementation for the plan and activities in relation to: –Veterinary and other relevant national services to respond to Avian Influenza outbreaks, within the general framework of the WHO/FAO/OIE Strategy for the progressive control of Avian Influenza; –Policy and regulatory framework to support the control programme; –knowledge, attitudes and practices of poultry farmers that might be detrimental to diseases control, and –likely impact, in financial and economic terms, of the Avian Influenza outbreak on the livelihoods of the rural poor in the affected countries.

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Questions to the meeting In view of the low death toll in Africa compared to clinically reported cases does Avian Influenza will continue to receive the attention it deserves? What are the implications for the rural poor in terms of lost revenues? In looking at the data from WHO (distributed to you), no AI case, no death declared in Africa besides in Egypt. Can this be the real situation? (lack of capacity from veterinary/medical services in Africa and the unwillingness of some poor farmers to declare cases in order to avoid bird culling) What each of us doing and how we can collaborate to reduce impact on rural poor? What institutions like IFAD should do to help and contribute in lessening the negative socio-economic impact of AI among its target groups? Any other questions on this issue that needs to be raised?

Rural development in Western and Central Africa Thank you