**[Avian Influenza]{.underline}: Ukraine**

Weekly Update (November 17, 2005)

**[AI Situation]{.underline}**

-   No cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in birds or
    humans have been reported in Ukraine. Suspicious samples of dead
    birds were not confirmed as AI H5N1 by the U.S. Navy virology
    laboratory in Cairo (which is working with the Odessa Plague Center
    of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health);

-   With the recent third outbreak of H5 Avian Influenza found in birds
    in the Danube Delta region of Romania, the southern districts
    (raions) of the Odessa oblast remain at the highest risk in Ukraine
    due to their location in the Danube Delta and the continued bird
    migration through it;

-   Local authorities in Odessa, the region adjacent to villages
    affected by AI in Romania, have banned hunting of wild birds and
    sales of domestically grown poultry and pork.  In addition, means of
    transportation are subject to mandatory disinfection.  In high risk
    regions, information about \"bird flu\" has been made available to
    the public, and veterinarians have specifically recommended that
    local fowl be kept in barns and out of contact with wild birds.
    However, there are reports that the local population often ignores
    their recommendations.  Large and local industrial poultry producers
    continue to reinforce sanitary measures at their production sites,
    with support from local veterinary and public health services. Local
    veterinarian authorities are also monitoring the situation with
    respect to wild bird migration activities and are making appropriate
    tests; 

-   The USAID Mission (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus) is currently carrying
    out AI-related activities through three implementing partners (PATH,
    CURE, and Land O' Lakes.

**[Public Awareness]{.underline}** \-- CURE

-   For the most part, information about AI provided in the Ukrainian
    media has been accurate and helped citizens to better understand the
    issue; in cases where inaccurate information was provided, USAID's
    Ukrainian Reform Education Program (UREP, implemented by CURE) has
    moved quickly to provide accurate information;

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-   UREP has been implementing National and Targeted (in risk oblasts)
    AI public awareness campaigns in Ukraine since October 17, 2005.  As
    advised by Vice Prime Minister Melnyk in his meeting with USAID on
    November 1, UREP has been coordinating their AI Pub Ed efforts with
    the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy;

 

-   Starting from October 17, UREP has been conducting weekly regional
    and national media monitoring on AI.  Regional media monitoring has
    been done in 15 separate oblasts. So far, over 500 AI stories,
    publications, or articles have appeared in major media outlets
    (electronic and print; local and national);

 

-   On November 9, UREP conducted a National Press Club meeting where
    senior members of the GOU spoke on their respective Ministry's
    actions to date;

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-   To date, 14 regional press club meetings have taken place through
    the country. As a result, around 160 publications and around 100 TV
    and radio segments have appeared in the local media;

-   UREP just completed a seminar-training on AI prevention in Odessa
    oblast (there were 70 participants -- journalists, agricultural
    producers, poultry workers, agricultural advisory services, private
    householders, representatives of veterinary and sanitary services,
    and representatives of local state agricultural bodies);

-   UREP National Press Club head is now collecting AI topics from local
    journalists for the special issue of "Our Time", the UREP quarterly
    newsletter (this publications gets distributed to over 1,000
    national and local media);

-   At numerous conferences and seminars, hundreds of informational
    materials have been distributed to journalists, NGOs, and members of
    the public;

**[Technical Assistance and Equipment]{.underline}** \-- PATH; Land
O'Lakes

-   Both veterinary and public health regional services have limited
    personal protective clothing, gloves and masks which will not be
    sufficient if Ukraine experiences multiple outbreaks. Also,
    veterinary and public health services in Donetsk, Kyiv, Odessa and
    Crimea have appropriate equipment for Polymerase Chain Reaction
    (PCR) and ELISA tests to identify influenza cases in birds and
    humans. However, they require specific testing kits and supplies to
    diagnose AI H5N1;

-   Ukraine's health care services -- including emergency care services
    -- are alerted, have personal protective equipment, and are prepared
    to increase the number of isolation units and enforce quarantine
    measures if needed;

-   The USAID-supported Program for Appropriate Technology in Health
    (PATH) conducted an AI assessment in the Crimea, Odessa and Donetsk
    regions in early November. Local biologists believed that the
    migration of birds was over in Crimea and the eastern part of
    Ukraine at that time. The local populations in these areas were
    receiving information on avian flu through mass media;

-   Given that some existing capacity to respond to the current AI
    situation in Ukraine exists, the USAID/Ukraine PATH project will
    focus on improving Ukraine's capability to rapidly respond to
    potential AI outbreaks in a sustainable manner. The support program
    anticipates providing a combination of laboratory equipment
    upgrades, supply of test kits and reagents, as well as training in
    laboratory techniques, protective measures and monitoring and
    surveillance activities.