Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project

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The Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response (APL) Project for Albania aims to strengthen the country's capacity to prevent the spread of avian influenza among poultry, to prevent the transmission of avian influenza from birds to other animals and humans, and to prepare for a potential pandemic of Avian Flu transmissible between humans. There are four project components. 1. Public Awareness and Information Campaign will include: a) risk communication; and b) communication for behavior change. This component will help develop and implement a communications plan to inform the public, particularly those more likely to be exposed to the Avian Flu, about its threat and how they can minimize the risk of transmission and spread of disease. 2. Animal Health Component will include: a) enhancing Avian Flu prevention and preparedness capability; b) strengthening Avian Flu control programs and outbreak containment programs; c) strengthening disease control capacities, and improving surveillance, diagnostic capacities, and applied research and will support a national program to develop and implement short- and long-term HPAI prevention, containment, and control and eradication activities in animals. 3. Human Health Component will include: a) enhancing coordination and program planning; b) strengthening national public health surveillance system; and c) strengthening health care response capacity. 4. Avian Influenza Task Force Component will support the Avian Influenza Task Force in implementing the government's Avian Flu response strategy (including components 1-3 above), and will comprise two subcomponents: a) strengthening the Task Force by establishing a permanent secretariat; and b) monitoring and evaluation.