Speeches & Articles

Opening Remarks of
Consul General Beth A. Payne
at Journalists’ Workshop on
Reporting Avian Influenza and Other Pandemic Influenzas
American Center, July 29, 2009

July 29, 2009

Mr. Dan Rutz
Ms. Joan Mower
Mr. Suneel Muttoo
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Morning!
 
I would like to thank all of you for joining us here at this workshop to address the threat posed by pandemic influenzas such as Avian Flu (H5N1) and H1N1, also known as swine flu.  These influenzas pose serious dangers to the health of all of us.  I understand that this workshop was originally going to concentrate on the issue of avian influenza, but as we all know H1N1 has spread so rapidly around the globe in recent months that it has assumed the status of a pandemic.  In fact, this is the first time in more than forty years that the World Health Organization has officially declared any disease a global pandemic. So considering the realities of the situation, we have broadened the focus of the workshop to include H1N1 and other pandemic influenzas.

The United States and India are two of at least 74 countries with cases of H1N1, and we are monitoring the evolution of the H1N1 outbreak closely.  The U.S. Congress has already earmarked $7.65 billion for our government’s Department of Health and Human Services to tackle the outbreak and expand domestic and international tracking of this pandemic.

India and the United States are partners in the global effort to meet the twin challenges of Avian Flu and H1N1 influenza.  While the rapid spread of the H1N1 virus is apparent to all, the U.S. Government is also very concerned that the H5N1 influenza in birds has the potential to turn into a pandemic in humans that could also have significant impacts on health and on economies.
 
The U.S. is the largest bilateral donor to India’s Avian and Pandemic Influenza (API) programs, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. government agencies totaling more than $7.5 million by early 2009.  As part of this broad initiative, the Governments of India and the United States are working closely with UNICEF and Indian state governments to implement an Avian Influenza strategy focusing primarily on backyard poultry farmers and vulnerable communities.

As India shares a long and porous border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Burma, and the chances of cross border influenza transmission are high.   The U.S. Agency for International Development is currently funding a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization project to build regional cooperation and coordination among India and its neighboring countries to combat Avian Influenza cross-border transmission.

These are just some of the ways that your government and ours are cooperating to fight the twin scourges of avian flu and H1N1.  AI and other pandemic influenzas not only pose obvious risks to public health, but also affect a community’s economic well-being.  Rapid detection, isolation of possible pandemic viruses and alert state, national and international authorities are all critical for a timely and effective response to a pandemic threat.

It is just as important to sensitize lay people as it is to educate backyard poultry farmers, producers and traders about Avian Influenza and other pandemic threats.  The culling of hundreds of thousands of birds and closing of poultry farms have already in the recent past had a serious impact on the livelihood of millions of people here in eastern India.  Responsible health journalism can play a significant role in informing the public of the risks of pandemics, and how to prevent human infection.  Accurate and focused media coverage can limit the impact of pandemic influenza.
 
Educating the public is an important task, and our goal here at this workshop is to help you acquire the skills you need, as journalists, to inform the public and governments how best to meet the challenge of pandemic influenza.  Accordingly, the objective of this workshop is to promote awareness about the disease and its prevention, as well as explore ways for closer coordination and cooperation among journalists, state authorities and field workers.
 
Again, thank you very much for your participation in this very important workshop.