One Health Briefing on Avian Influenza: Preparedness and Coordinated Response

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One Health Briefing on Avian Influenza: Preparedness and Coordinated Response

Tuesday 8 October 2024 | 14:00 – 15:00 CEST (Zoom meeting)

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious transboundary disease with zoonotic potential that has severe impacts on animal health, livelihoods, economy, and human health. Since 2020, the world has experienced an unprecedented H5 HPAI in animal populations. Countries across Africa, the Americas, Antarctica and Eurasia have been affected by the disease, including at least twenty countries and territories reporting H5 HPAI for the first time. Moreover, human cases have been confirmed positive for HPAI A(H5N1) virus, with exposure to dairy cattle.

FAO has been a trusted partner in supporting pandemic prevention and preparedness for zoonotic influenza. It regularly collaborates with the WHO Global Influenza Programme, contributing with information sharing on animal influenza surveillance, participating in risk assessments (e.g. TIPRA), and supporting the WHO bi-annual influenza vaccine composition meetings with information provided through the joint WOAH-FAO scientific network on animal influenza (OFFLU) network of expertise on animal influenzas. These global efforts have created improved detection and response capacities in many countries.

Considering the alarming spread of HPAI and the evolution of avian influenza in the wild birds and mammals, FAO in Geneva is organizing this FAO One Health Briefing on Avian Influenza: Update and Coordinated Response, to inform partners and permanent missions in Geneva of the latest scientific findings and knowledge to support development and implementation of disease prevention and control strategies and policies with focus on the animal health sector, as well as FAO and partners’ contribution to global efforts towards reducing pandemic risk.

Programme:

Time	Description
5 min	Welcome remarks by Dominique Burgeon, Director of FAO Liaison Office in Geneva
15 min	FAO’s contribution to global efforts on avian influenza by Madhur Dhingra, Senior Animal Health Officer (Lead, Animal Health Prevention, Preparedness and Rapid Response Cluster), FAO
20 min	Remarks by WHO, WOAH and UNEP - Maria Van Kerkhove, Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department (EPP), WHO - Gounalan Pavade, Scientific Coordinator, Science Department of World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) - Ruth Cromie, Coordinator of Task Force on AI and Wildlife & Dagmar Zikova, Scientific Adviser, Convention on Migratory Species of UNEP
15 min	Q&A discussion session facilitated by Julio Pinto, Animal Health Officer (One Health), FAO
5 min	Closing remarks by Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General (ADG), FAO

 

For more information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

 

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