New materials from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) partnered with CARE and others this past year to bring together the major organizations working on preparedness and prevention of Avian and Human Influenza (AHI) in the region. The goal of this partnership was to highlight the best practices and lessons learned from organizations developing and testing new approaches to managing AHI at the community level. These organizations agreed on best practices and approaches to develop into a comprehensive resource package and week-long workshop to train community practitioners in these approaches. The workshop was developed by ADPC, CARE, AED, IRC, IFRC, Kyema Foundation, among others, and piloted in November of last year. The materials were evaluated by participants and facilitators, revised, and then finalized at a second workshop this past February.

CARE was specifically asked highlight our new approach to community-based surveillance, in addition to helping identify other important organizations and approaches. The materials produced from this workshop represent the first comprehensive compilation of best practices, lessons learned, and new approaches for community-management of AHI from a broad-based partnership. As a follow-up to these workshops, ADPC has now made available online all the background resources and materials: http://adpcahi.hostrator.com/.

These resources can be incredibly useful in developing, informing, or refining AHI programs, taking particular note of the lessons learned and best practices from the different approaches.

The website (http://adpcahi.hostrator.com/) includes links to organization websites, training guides and manuals, some IEC materials, and case studies for the 5 major topics covered at the workshop:
1) using research to inform program practice;
2) communication for mobilizing individual and social change for AI prevention;
3) biosecurity;
4) community-based surveillance; and
5) community preparedness and response.

We'll be updating CARE's website soon with our training materials on Community-based surveillance, including facilitator guides!