This proposal to establish the regional network for conducting the research in migratory birds of China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam was developed between representative scientists of those countries in workshops in Beijing, China and Halong, Vietnam.  The study will increase the information and understanding about the role of migratory birds in spreading avian influenza viruses in this region. However, the network should continue its operation beyond the end of this study in order to provide scientific data on migratory birds and avian influenza and the other emerging diseases in the region.

General Objective of the study is to enhance at the regional level the early detection and characterization of Avian Influenza infection and reporting in migratory birds through a coordinated surveillance network. The specific objectives are (i) confirm suspected and identify additional key species of migratory birds that have the potential to play a role in spreading AI viruses between participating countries; (ii) study the diversity of AI virus infection in selected key species of migratory birds: (iii) study the distribution pattern (geospatial and temporal) of key selected species of migratory birds in each country: (iv) carry out the surveillance and monitoring of avian influenza in migratory birds through the establishment of a regional network and (v) improve understanding and disseminate the scientific information on the role of migratory birds in spreading avian influenza to different audiences (government and scientific). < 

To characterize backyard poultry rearing systems, the variations among them, their roles in rural livelihood systems, and to work with stakeholders in this sector to devise practical, equitable and sustainable options to reduce the likelihood of a human AI pandemic in 5 Asian Countries.

The Objectives of the study are: (i) to describe and analyze characteristics and dynamics of backyard poultry systems and how these influence AI-related risks; (ii) to specifically describe the networks through which poultry from backyard flocks move from their yards of origin to consumers and how this relates to AI risks; (iii) together with the stakeholders, to identify and promote changes in backyard poultry systems at various scales that can minimize AI risk to animals and people while maintaining key advantages (economic, gender, ecological) of backyard systems; (iv) to facilitate conversation and feedbacks between backyard farming stakeholders and  policy makers at several scales (e.g. village, district, national) who determine the context within which they must define their options.

The methods used in the design and implementation of these projects are drawn from an ecosystem approach to human health, sometimes referred to as an “ecohealth” approach. As developed by IDRC, this approach places particular emphasis on issues of stakeholder participation and equity, in particular gender equity, and advocates multi-disciplinary research teams. In seeking to improve human health and well-being while simultaneously maintaining a healthy ecosystem, the emphasis is on systemic, integrated, multisector, community-based solutions. The main components of this methodology are: characterizing the presenting situation in multi-level systemic terms, primarily through secondary data (what is the initial perceived problematic situation?); identifying the important stakeholders, the issues they deem to be important, and the policies that influence those issues; eliciting narratives and systemic understandings of the situation by various stakeholders; undertaking a systemic analysis and synthesis to identify feedback loops and trade-offs, and the implications of those trade-offs; work with stakeholders to negotiate a process of intervention and monitoring based on negotiated goals. The methodology incorporates questions of power and gender as well as those related to culture, health, ecology and socio-economics. Integrating participatory approaches with complex systems thinking, AMESH employs a wide variety 

Several countries in Asia have been affected by the epidemic of H5N1 since late 2003. To fight against AI epidemic, intensive efforts at country, regional as well as global level have been made. With the spread of AI, many countries have developed their own national pandemic preparedness plans. Several policies formed basis of these national plans. The principle ones included national strategic plans, operational plans, generic contingency plans and food safety and food exporting policies.

Better knowledge of the policy-making processes can be learned from studying agenda setting, the contextual factors influencing policy formulation, an explicit mapping of policies per se, as well as lesssons from policy implementation and evaluation. The similarities and differences among the AI-related policies, particularly those which form the basis for national pandemic preparedness plans, provide an opportunity to conduct policy analysis and to allow comparative analysis research.

The study focus on policy analysis of two AI-related policies under the national plans, namely poultry vaccination and anti-viral drugs. The collaborative research aims to determine and analyze policy-making processes in three countries (Indonesai, Thailand and Vietnam) and, as consequence, offer insights that will facilitate further strengthening of control effort in the region and support national and regional cooperation and policy coherence. The specific objectives of the study include: (i) determine the content of anti-viral drugs and poultry vaccination policies in the three countries; (ii) define the content and determine the contextual factors which influence the development of these polcies; (iii) conduct comparative analysises to describe policy, context and process differences and similarities and (v) to determin influencing factors in policy formulation that may be important in future policy making process.

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the study applied a conceptual framework developed by Buse, et al (2006), which include content, context and process of policy formulation. The study consists of two phases, including retrospective and prospective. The retrospective phase covers a period from 2003-2006, and the prospective phase will last two years from 2007-2008. Each phase in utilize data from (i) policy documents: Government laws & regulations, government strategic plans, policy feedback documents, minutes of meetings, and briefing papers, case reports, business reports, academic documents, news reports and (ii) primary data: focus group discussion, personal interviews and participatory observations.

Expected results of the study include a report which covers the description of the policy making process in antiviral drugs and poultry vaccination in each country, content and factors which influence the development of the anti-viral and poultry vaccination policies. The report will be disseminated among different stakeholders in individual country as well as regional countries through seminars & workshops.

Avian Influenza (AI) is globally threatening zoonoses, which has been envisioned by WHO as an unavoidable event to cause the pandemic in human in the future. Effective measures in the control of AI should be immediately taken to contain the rapid spread of AI virus. As recommended by FAO and OIE, control measures and vaccinations should be considered at high-risk poultry in conjunction with other control methods against the pandemic of AI. Since there are many generally accepted standard control methods that could apply to all the influenza-affected countries, both vaccination and non-vaccination programs in the prevention and control of AI have been adopted by the different South-east Asian countries, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand, following the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza at the end of 2003 through the beginning of 2004. This study will be conducted to investigate into the effectiveness of the control measures employed by China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand using the retrospective and prospective studies with an objective to improve the effectiveness of prevention and control measures for containing AI in human and animals in the future.