Libreville, 22 March 2006 -- “To show a firm political commitment at the highest level of government and to ensure multisectoral coordination at supra-ministerial level for the development of plans, mobilization of resources, the implementation and monitoring of plans in close collaboration with community based organizations, civil society, nongovernmental organizations and other sectors”. That is a commitment figuring prominently in the “Libreville Declaration on Avian Influenza and the threat of a Human Pandemic in Africa” adopted by the 250 participants in the United Nations Regional Meeting on Avian Influenza in Africa,” held in Libreville, Gabon from 20-22 March 2006.

The Declaration commits each country to according priority to finalizing integrated, consolidated and multisectoral preparedness and response plans for fighting avian influenza and human pandemic; and to implementing cohesive programmes for communication and public awareness in order to reduce the risk of spread of the disease and its transmission to humans.

In the Declaration, Directors of national animal and human health services of 45 African countries, experts from United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and bilateral partners call on the countries:

• To stringently enforce the recommended avian influenza disease control measures as indicated in the Global Strategy for the Progressive Control of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), such as stamping out (systematic culling of poultry within three-kilometer radius), adoption of the requisite bio-security measures, restriction of the movement of animals and vehicles and selective or mass vaccination, if HPAI cases are detected;
• To establish funds and appropriate compensation mechanisms in order to provide incentives for affected farmers;
• To strengthen animal health and human health surveillance systems.

The Declaration urges the United Nations system to strengthen the capacity of their Country Teams to provide substantial support to countries as they formulate and implement integrated multi-sectoral plans for responding to avian influenza.

It affirms the dire need to strengthen the capacities and increase, by at least three each, the number of national and reference veterinary and human health laboratories in Africa and reaffirms the need for countries and the international community to mobilize additional technical and financial recourses locally and internationally for the implementation of the integrated plans.

Furthermore, the Declaration calls on the international community and the manufacturers of antivirals, protective equipment, vaccines (animal/human) and other supplies to make these products accessible to Africa.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo has said that “the adoption of the Libreville Declaration will surely be a milestone in the battle African countries are waging against avian influenza caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1”.

Dr Sambo noted with delight that all the countries have national preparedness and response plans for avian influenza and the threat of pandemic.

He commended the initiative of the President of the Republic of Gabon, EL Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba to create a national fund for the control of avian influenza and to be the meetings’ spokesman among his peers.

Dr Sambo expressed the wish that each country would participate in financing its national multi-sectoral plan for avian influenza control and thanked the international community for having express willingness to provide technical and financial contribution.

He went on to say that “now more than ever, solidarity at all levels is indispensable because we all are concerned”.

In his closing statement, the Vice-President of the Republic of Gabon, Mr Djdjob Divungi Di Ndinge expressed delight that the meeting had brought together such a large number of participants from 45 countries. That, he said, “was enough evidence that the future of Africa, and hence the world, will depend on our capacity to define a common international action”.

Mr Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge added that the mass health promotion campaigns lanched on the continent to raise public awareness of other diseases can and should as q model serve.

He expressed the wish that the international working group to be set up will help establish a dialogue rapidly with all stakeholders for the mobilization of resources and the coordination of all actions.

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