UNDP Response to influenza

Promoting awareness education on Avian and Pandemic Influenza in rural communities in Myanmar
Prevention and control of the spread of Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) has become an important public health issue not only globally and regionally but also in Myanmar. It is also an important development issue for UNDP Myanmar from its Disaster Risk Reduction perspective.

Responding to this issue, Promoting Awareness Education on Avian Influenza in Rural Communities in Myanmar Project has been implemented since 2009 with fund from the European Commission and UNDP Myanmar and technical support from UNICEF to raise awareness and knowledge, change attitude and family practices among rural communities to mitigate the impact upon households of a potential outbreak of Avian Influenza in the areas covered by UNDP. 

The project is planned to target villages in 49 townships covered by the UNDP-HDI programme. UNDP began preparations and consultations with partners in early 2009 in order to start implementation in July 2009. At the same time in early and mid-2009, Pandemic Influenza (H1N1) broke out around the world including Myanmar. As a result, UNDP consulted with UNICEF, WHO, FAO and the EC Office Bangkok and agreed to widen the focus of the intervention on awareness raising and prevention including Pandemic Influenza, which also covers needs of Avian Influenza (H5N1) awareness, for the staff and communities.

The intervention, commencing around mid- 2009, was carried out with technical assistance from UNICEF. The materials and training modules used in training staff, community volunteers, and raising awareness in the villages were developed after first being reviewed and approved by the Technical Working Group, chaired by WHO and FAO.

The implementation of the intervention is taking place in the context of current UNDP HDI community development projects, namely Community Development for Remote Townships (CDRT) and Integrated Community Development Projects (ICDP). The CDRT covers Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin & Mon State, while ICDP covers the Dry Zone, Shan State and the Delta area. The other parallel assistance provided under HDI includes livelihood assistance to mitigate food insecurity, social infrastructure development, capacity development of the Women’s Self-Reliance Groups (SRGs) on financial and organizational management, livelihood skills development training for the villagers, technical training for Livestock Extension Worker and Agricultural Extension Workers, and water and sanitation.

By June 2011, UNDP will replicate interventions in respective townships negotiating a technical partnership agreement with UNICEF for Training Of Trainers (Yangon) for Avian Influenza (H5N1).

Objectives of the programme

To improve and maintain the health of rural communities through increased knowledge on avian influenza.

• To build technical capacities of concerned project technical staff and local community volunteers
• To promote AI related education in 49 project townships and to promote awareness and knowledge of rural communities in the townships covered under the HDI with regards to precautionary measures and practices to prevent and mitigate the impact of outbreaks of Avian Influenza (AI)
  
• To promote linkages and networks between community volunteers and technical service providers in pursuit of rapid information/referral/early warning systems at the community and township levels

Summary on current achievements

• Thus far the project has been able to train a total of 2,058,806 community members during village wide health awareness sessions. Informative materials were disseminated with preventative messages through various training methods. Additionally, a total of 3,507 villages have received IEC and communication materials to enhance their visibility and exposure to preventative messages. Farmers and persons engaged in livestock raising were also included.
• The project has been able to train many trainers that are able to multiply these trainings. Training of trainers for regional project technical staff and regional training service providers in partnership with UNICEF was conducted, and a total of 94 participants from 44 townships have thus far participated. Trainers will become training resource persons to disseminate their knowledge in their respective townships.
  
• These trainers were able to replicate this training at the township level, targeting 661 township level project staff in 44 townships. This has resulted in a total of 7,895 community volunteers trained to be used as training resource persons at the community level.
  
• IEC materials developed by the Technical Working Group were used for consistency of messages across the country. With support from UNICEF, UNDP reproduced these IEC materials for the community volunteer training and for distribution in the villages, in households, community centers, schools, market places, village footpath junctions, etc.
  
• To identify technical service providers at the township level, a Township Awareness Raising and Advocacy Workshop has been organized in 44 townships, thus far. The workshop was able to bring the attention of the township level stakeholders and primary service providers on the importance of the prevention of Pandemic Influenza. A total of 1,487 participants from township administrative offices, technical departments, NGO/INGOs, and village tract leaders attended. Township Medical Officers and basic health staff of each township provided technical service on sharing the informational and knowledge on the subject in the training on a voluntary basis. The participants were also able to receive information on the services relating to Pandemic Influenza available at the township level.
  

Myanmar