Nigeria - Emergency Assistance to support Government Initiatives on Combating Avian Influanza in 2006

The present intervention concerns the Emergency Assistance to Support Government Initiatives On Combating Avian Influanza In 2006. It's designed because the outbreak of avian flu in Nigeria poses a huge threat not only to the country but also the West African Sub-region. Nigeria is making efforts at this time to contain the spread of the bird flu with its limited resources and technical expertise. The pandemic requires urgent and concerted efforts to combat it and build national capacity to contain the disease to prevent its further spread. The key areas that need support include provision for the compensation of smallholder farmers, equipping and maintaining functional laboratories and preparing long-term strategic plans and programmes to contain and control the spread of the pandemic. The operation includes two components covering the human and animal health.