AI.COMM - Avian and Pandemic Influenza Resource Link

PRIORITIZING THE H5N1 VIRUS IN A
WORLD OF “REAL” PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES
Perhaps one of the largest challenges was
trying to engage governments, USAID Missions,
and on-the-ground NGOs to plan for a looming
pandemic when these stakeholders – and the
average citizen – were more concerned with
“real” diseases that affected their everyday lives,
such as tuberculosis, HIV or diarrhea.
An additional obstacle was that avian and pandemic infl uenza activities were largely a
global initiative, and not a priority of the USAID Missions or national governments that
oftentimes had to be convinced that it was important to take action. AI.COMM and its
partners put a substantial amount of effort into placing avian infl uenza on policy and
development agendas, and had to maintain this advocacy among national, state/provincial,
and district levels of government given the competing priorities of key stakeholders. This was
particularly diffi cult with avian infl uenza, a cross-sector issue affecting many government
units and social sectors (e.g., economy, fi nance, health, education, agriculture) with different
perspectives and priorities.
Building on pre-existing relationships in countries or on existing platforms, such as
communication working groups that were chaired by UNICEF, AI.COMM was able to
offer resources and technical support in the form of training, material development,
social mobilization, and community outreach that benefi ted local government authorities
and civil society. AI.COMM had to position avian and pandemic infl uenza so that it
was relevant to the situation in each country and on the ground. Ultimately, convincing
decision makers that they had a stake in avian and pandemic planning resulted in buy-in
and ownership by partner organizations, and a heightened public awareness among at risk
audiences on what were correct behaviors and how to adopt them.
63