PAHO Calls Attention to Avian Flu at Summit of the Americas

The Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Mirta Roses, pointed to countries’ progress in developing national preparedness plans and highlighted the importance of the upcoming hemispheric conference on avian flu in Brasilia.

Washington, D.C., November 7, 2005 (PAHO)—Heading the delegation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to the IV Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Dr. Mirta Roses outlined regional progress on preparations for a potential avian flu pandemic and said national contingency plans show progress.

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin introduced avian flu into the debate, and PAHO’s Director met with President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, along with Peter Boehm of Canada, one of the organizers of the summit, to inform them on advances in the Americas since the hemispheric meeting of Ministers of Health and Agriculture (RIMSA 14) in Mexico, when avian flu was discussed. Roses also reported on the launching of the regional plan for avian influenza--the first one in the world - and on progress in the preparation of national plans. There was also discussion on the influenza contingency plan and its costs, the potential economic impact of avian flu, and the need for financial mechanisms for a rapid response.

The leaders of United States and of Canada recognized the role of PAHO with regard to preparations for an influenza pandemic and requested from the Organization active participation and coordination, expressing to Roses the importance of strengthening cooperation in this and other health topics at regional level. Martin asked PAHO to coordinate hemispheric efforts to prepare for a pandemic.

The final declaration approved by all the leaders that participated in the summit specifically refers to the subject of avian flu and the potential pandemic, and takes into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and of the recent influenza meeting convened by Canada.

The leaders declared that they will strengthen cooperation and the exchanges of information "in the fight against chronic diseases as well as emerging and reemerging diseases such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, malaria, tuberculosis, avian flu, and other health risks." They proposed developing strategies and cooperation mechanisms, "mainly within the framework of the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization to combat these diseases, including the strengthening of the Global Fund to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as development of national plans to prevent possible pandemics such as avian flu. We urge all the countries to accelerate the process of ratification of the new international Health Regulations and to seek to expand the cooperation mechanisms that facilitate the access to pertinent measures of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the population at risk."

The final declaration of the summit of the Americas also recognized the need for broad social protection systems and said appropriate social security measures to protect the unemployed should be examined.

Meeting in Geneva treats avian flu

In Geneva, Switzerland, at an international meeting on avian flu that opened today with the aim of building consensus on a common approach to avian influenza and human pandemic influenza, the director of the World Health Organization, Dr. Lee Jong-wook, said, "It is only a matter of time before an avian flu virus - most likely H5N1 - acquires the ability to be transmitted from human to human, sparking the outbreak of human pandemic influenza. We don't know when this will happen. But we do know that it will happen. This is the time to build global consensus. This is the time for every country to prepare their national action plan - and act on it."

"In the pandemics of 1958 and 1968, a combined total of 3 million people died. Those were considered to be mild pandemics," he said. "In 2003, in the SARS epidemic, fewer than 800 people died. Yet the economic consequences have been assessed at more than 30 billion dollars worldwide. It was a major social, political, economic and health event. If we are unprepared, the next pandemic will cause incalculable human misery, both directly from the loss of human life, and indirectly through its widespread impact on security. No society would be exempt. No economy would be left unscathed. This is a grim picture. But from the series of international meetings has come a truly global awareness of the importance of pandemic preparedness, and the role of international cooperation in responding to the pandemic threat," the director of WHO said.

The Geneva meeting, jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank and WHO, brings together 600 delegates from more than 100 countries. They include experts on animal health, human health, the environment and economics.

PAHO was established in 1902 and is the oldest public health organization in the world. It is the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization and works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples.