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SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL INTER-AGENCY INFORMATION SHARING/COORDINATION MEETING ON AVIAN AND HUMAN INFLUENZA

The Southeast Asia Regional Inter-Agency Information Sharing/Coordination Meetings on AHI, hosted by the Regional Health Unit, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are held in Bangkok on the first Thursday of each month.  

Background on the Southeast Asia Regional Inter-Agency Information Sharing/Coordination Meeting on Avian and Human Influenza 

The Southeast Asia Regional Inter-Agency Information Sharing/Coordination Meetings on AHI aim to improve coordination of and enhance the sharing of knowledge between individuals and organisations working to mitigate the threat of AHI in Southeast Asia. Participants consist of representatives from INGOs, NGOs, UN agencies, donors, academia, and the private sector.  

Key themes discussed in past meetings have included: 

• Risk Communication Strategies

• Contingency Planning

• Impact of Avian Influenza on Livelihood & Poverty Reduction Strategies

• Role of Civil Society Organizations in Avian Influenza Control

• Countries: Thailand’s, Vietnam’s, Cambodia’s, and Bangladesh’s AI prevention and control measures and pandemic preparedness - AI surveillance & control among IDPs

• Country & Regional Simulation Exercises

• AI prevention and control measures among displaced populations

• Monitoring & Evaluation

• Non-health aspects of pandemic planning

• Private sector pandemic preparedness

The Southeast Asia Regional Inter-Agency Information Sharing/Coordination Meetings on AHI are open sessions. Those interested in joining a meeting or in becoming part of the monthly email circulation are encouraged to contact Molly Schmidt, IFRC Regional Health Programme Officer at molly.schmidt@ifrc.org