$2-M Asean fund to wipe out animal diseases pushed

Senior agriculture officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to push for a $2-million fund to wipe out animal diseases in the region, particularly avian influenza (AI) or bird flu.

Dr. Ronello C. Abila, regional coordinator of the Southeast Asia Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Campaign of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), said the endorsement is required for the Asean Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) meet in Singapore this September to approve the proposed ASEAN Animal Health Trust Fund (AHTF).

He said the AHTF was conceived last year during the senior officials meeting of the AMAF in Tagaytay.

To raise the proposed $2-million fund, all member countries will be contributing to the fund.

Abila said that the eradication of AI will be prioritized because it will be easier to solicit funds since several of its member countries have been afflicted with the disease that continues to spread across the globe.

He said the concept of a trust fund to fight animal disease was initiated by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), which currently has its own facility to fight FMD.

"The idea is to subsequently hand over to ASEAN the chore of fighting and eradicating FMD. They should have ownership of it," said Abila.

ASEAN leaders have agreed in principle to put up the fund, but a formal agreement is necessary to tap the fund.

Abila added that while AI remains as the region’s focus, member countries are also looking at wiping out the dreaded foot-and-mount or FMD which affects countries like Vietnam.

OIE disclosed that Vietnam saw an outbreak of the disease in at least 40 of its provinces starting last March.

Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban said the AHTF should provide bird-flu free countries like the Philippines a stronger "defense system" against bird flu and other animal diseases.

"We are anxious to see this agreement in principle transformed into an agreement of action. The need for a common resource to fight animal disease and enable a strong regional system against the risk of a 21st century pandemic is critical," said Panganiban.