E1962
Environmental Assessment and
Management Planfor the
Avian Influenza Control and
Human Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response in Mongolia Project
PREPARED: CONSULTANT ERDENESAIHKHAN,
Email:
Ulaanbaatar, April 15, 2008
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AI Avian Influenza
DVS Department of Veterinary Services
EMP Environmental Management Plan
EAMP Environmental Assessment and Management Plan
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
ES Environmental Statement
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GPAIGlobal Program on Avian Influenza
HPAIHighly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
IDAInternational Development Agency
ILIInfluenza-like Illness
IPHInstitute of Public Health
ISDSIntegrated Safeguards Datasheet
MoFAMinistry of Food and Agriculture
MoNEMinistry of Nature and Environment
MoH Ministry of Health
NCCPPI National Coordination Committee to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
OIE World Organization for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties)
PAD Project Appraisal Document
PMOProject Management Office
PPE Personal Protection Equipment
SSIA State Specialized Inspection Agency
TFTask Force
UNICEFUnited Nations International Children’s Fund
USAIDUnited States Agency for International Development
WAHIS World Animal Health Information System
WB World Bank
WHO World Health Organization
Table of Contents
1. Project summary
2. Project Description
3. Overview of Applicable International and National Agreements, Policies and
Laws
3.1International Agreements
3.2 Mongolian Legislation
3.2.1 Law on Disaster Protection
3.2.2 Law on Health
3.2.3 Law on Livestock Genetic Fund and Health Protection
3.2.4 Law on Environmental Protection
3.2.5 Law on Environmental Impact Assessment
3.2.6 Water Law
3.2.7. Government Resolution on A&HPI National Strategy
3.2.8.Government Resolution on Implementation Plan for A&HPI National Strategy
3.3. Institutional Setting
4. Potential Environmental Impacts and Proposed Mitigation Measures
4.1 Measures to respond to AI outbreaks
4.2.Personal Hygiene and Waste Management at Animal Laboratories
4.3Personal Hygiene and Healthcare Waste Management at Designated Hospitals
4.4 Mitigation Measures for Handling Specimens
4.5.Environmental Management Plan
4.6. Borrower’s Ability for EMP Implementation
5. Legal Agreements
6. Bidding Contracts
7. Monitoring and Supervision
8. Implementation Schedules
9. Implementation Arrangements
10. Reporting
11. Consultation and Disclosure
11.1ConsultationProject Affected Groups
11.2. Consultation with Project Implementing Agency
1. Project summary
This is an Environmental Assessment and Management Plan (EAMP) of the Mongolia’s
Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project,prepared in compliance with the World Bank EA requirements on projects proposed for
Bank financing to help ensure that they are environmentally sound and sustainable, andthus improve decision making (OP 4.01, January 1999). The Bank favors preventivemeasures over mitigatory or compensatory ones, whenever possible and feasible.
The Mongolia Avian Influenza (AI) Project has been assigned World Bank environmentalcategory B, since it involves moderate environmental impacts that can be managedduring implementation of the project. Although project activities supporting AIprevention, preparedness and planning, and response and containment are not expected togenerate significant adverse environmental effects, they do present a moderateenvironmental risk from inadvertent spread of the AI virus and waste management.
Overall the AI prevention and response-focused activities are expected to have a positiveenvironmental impact, as the investments in facilities, equipment, and training forveterinary and public health service staff and laboratories will improve the effectivenessand safety over existing avian influenza handling and testing procedures by meetinginternational standards established by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)and the World Health Organization (WHO). This would be reinforced by themainstreaming of environmental safeguards into protocols and procedures for the cullingand disposal of animals during AI outbreaks.
The environmental assessment and management plan of the Albania AI project isorganized in two parts: part one provides a project overview and an assessment ofenvironmental policy context of the project, while part two, environmental assessmentand management plan, deals specifically with (i) environmental impact assessment byproject components, (ii) proposed measures to mitigate those impacts, and (iii) how tomonitor them.
The first part of this document briefly describes AI project developmentobjective and project components, and assesses policy context under which the AI projectand its Environmental Management Plan are developed. The policy context includesIDA/IBRD Safeguards Policy, Mongolian Legislation, International Conventions andAgreements and WHO and FAO/OIE Guidelines. In particular it has references to allrelevant laws and regulations included in the Mongolian legislation related to AIprevention, control and response activities. According to the World Bank, theMongolia AI project is classified as Category B, as the proposed project activities andmeasures are not expected to generate significant adverse environmental effects. The project was discussed at the Ministry of Nature and Environment of Mongolia and the recommendation was to prepare Environmental Management plan (EMP). Thus,this EMP is prepared in line with national andinternational laws and regulations and ensures that all environmental requirements andobligations are taken into consideration throughout the project design andimplementation.
The part two or environmental management plan deals with environmental impacts of theproposed project components and activities, with special focus on moderate adverseenvironmental effects of the Animal and Human Health Components, and how to minimize or mitigate them. For the Animal component, the EMP addresses zoonoticdisease containment and waste management as pertain to disposal of special waste,emissions and materials at laboratories, and training for veterinary services workers, toinclude procedures for safe handling of AI materials, safe culling of infected and at-riskpoultry and disposal of carcasses. For the Human Health component, the EMP focuseson equipment, refurbishing and training for reference and regional diagnostic laboratoriesto include key environmental issues in zoonotic disease containment and wastemanagement.
The EMP provides mitigation plans and monitoring plans for: (i) Disposal of infectedmaterials from labs and hospitals for burring, (ii) Laboratory Safety and WasteManagement, (iii) isolationrooms at regional hospitals, in order to ensure appropriate attention to environmentalissues, (iv) Carcass and Waste Material Disposal by Burial, (v) Bird Carcass and Waste Material Disposal (if required) and tracking progress or problems in their management. Detailed mitigation andmonitoring plan in matrix-table format is given in the document.
2. Project Description
The overall development objectives of the proposed Project are to improve capacity of public health system and veterinary services for detecting and responding to infectious diseases with outbreak potential, specifically, improve preparedness for, and ability to respond to, avian and human pandemic influenza in Mongolia. The key indicators will be (a) at least one simulation of integrated response to a suspect outbreak of AI or a cluster suggestive of PI conducted per year, assisted by information systems to guide decisions in the exercise; (b) number of influenza-like illness incidents reported through MOH system per year, compared with previous years; (c) number of investigations of mortality incidents in domestic poultry per year, compared with previous years; (d) number of dead wild bird incidents investigated per year, compared with previous years; (e) mean time from start of disease investigation to completion of file in national information system.
The National Strategy provides the basis for support being provided under this operation and by other development partners. Resources provided will be used to finance (within the available funds) critical, short-term and long-term priorities that are not currently being financed from other sources. The Project aims to ensure that all cities and aimags have a minimum capacity to manage AHI and will therefore finance an essential response package nationwide. In addition, and in recognition of the increased threat posed by AHI to border aimags, cities and transport hubs, the Project will also provide an enhanced package of support to the following six areas agreed with the Government of Mongolia, namely Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, Erdenet, Dornod, Bulgan and Uvs.
The following components are covered in this project:
Component 1: Strengthened Avian and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Planning at National and Aimag Levels
Component 2: Functioning Early Warning and Surveillance (EWS) Systems for AHI
Component 3: Improved Capacity for Integrated Investigation, Prevention, and Response to Pandemic Influenza and AI
Component 4: AHI Preparedness and Response Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) at the National Level and in Project Areas
Component 1: Strengthened Avian and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Planning at National and Aimag Levels
This componentfocuses on improving planning by the key agencies involved in the AHI response, namely, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (DVS), and Ministry of Health (MOH) at both the central and aimaglevel. Awareness-raising activities will be undertaken amongst senior policy makers and officials from key sectors at central level and in selected provinces. These efforts will be supported by ongoing information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns targeting the general population to be provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) through financing by the Government of Japan. The existing policy and regulatory framework relating to AI prevention and control and pandemic influenza preparedness will be reviewed and improved. Existing command and control structures in high risk cities and provinces will be improved in line with international best practiceand a geographic information system (GIS) introduced to support more effective emergency management and decision-making. Pandemic influenza preparedness and response plans, sector-specific, health facility, and community contingency plans will be developed and tested and SOPs developed. National and local pandemic preparedness plans will also be strengthened through pandemic influenza modeling, vulnerability assessments, simulation exercises and drills undertaken in key sectors. The financial needs/gaps for the National Strategy will be reviewed annually and followed by pledging meetings.
Component 2: Functioning Early Warning and Surveillance (EWS) Systems for AHI
This component is designed to expand and improve the coverage, quality and performance of EWS systems for AHI, both to provide direct benefits in relation to AHI, and to provide a generic approach which can later be applied to other zoonotic diseases. The Project will help address some identified weaknesses in the current systems, including capacity constraints, inadequate information technology and communications infrastructure, outdated surveillance protocols, fragmented institutional responsibilities and ineffective sharing and utilization of surveillance information. Activities to be supported include establishment of a computer-based EWAR system at the national and aimag levels that will assist compliance with OIE standards; continued wild bird surveillance at 42 priority lakes; establishment of a migratory bird information system to help deepen understanding of wild bird movement; acquisition of materials essential for outbreak investigation and safe transport of laboratory specimens; and, provision of equipment, training and materials to improve the bio-safety of the National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) laboratory in Ulaanbaatar and two veterinary laboratories at the aimag level.
Component 3: Improved Capacity for Integrated Investigation, Prevention, and Response to Pandemic Influenza and AI
This component will support the strengthening of joint rapid response teams at the national level and in three aimags and three cities (see Annex 4). SOPs will be updated and staff trained in responding to outbreaks in wild birds and poultry; an epidemiological study will be undertaken to determine the health risks posed by migratory birds and domestic poultry; isolation facilities in selected hospitals will be improved and will be provided with essential equipment and staff training; and, a national stockpile of emergency response packages will be established for joint rapid response. Although these activities will focus on the AHI response, they are intended to put in place standardized systems and processes that will facilitate an effective future response to other zoonoses and public health emergencies.
Component 4: AHI Preparedness and Response Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) at the National Level and in Project Areas
This component will support the development of an M&E strategy and plan for national pandemic influenza preparedness and response and provide training for NEMA, MOH and DVS and project aimags on how to operationalize the M&E strategy and plan. It will also support the project management office (PMO) which will be set up at the central level in NEMA, charged with the timely development of a project implementation plan, monitoring Project implementation, and responding to recommendations received from implementation reviews. This component will also finance training in project management, as well as World Bank financial management, and procurement procedures.
3. Overview of Applicable International and National Agreements, Policies and
Laws
3.1 International Agreements
World Bank Safeguards Policy
The World Bank requires environmental assessment (EA) of projects proposed for Bank
financing to help ensure that they are environmentally sound and sustainable, and thus improve decision making (OP 4.01, January 1999). EA is a process whose breadth, depth, and type of analysis depend on the nature, scale, and potential environmental impact of the proposed project. EA evaluates a project’s potential environmental risks and impacts in its area of influence; examines project alternatives; identifies ways of improving project selection, siting, planning, design, and implementation by preventing,minimizing, mitigating, or compensating for adverse environmental impacts and enhancing positive impacts; and includes the process of mitigating and managingadverse environmental impacts throughout project implementation. The Bank favors preventive measures over mitigatory or compensatory measures, whenever feasible.
EA takes into account the natural environment; human health and safety; social aspects; and trans-boundary and global environmental aspects. It also takes into account the variations in project and country conditions; the findings of country environmental studies; national environmental action plans; the country’s overall policy framework, national legislation, and institutional capabilities related to the environment and social aspects; and obligations of the country, pertaining to project activities, under relevant international environmental treaties and agreements. The Bank does not finance project activities that would contravene such country obligations, as identified during the EA.
The activities under the Project are not expected to generate any adverse environmentaleffects as they are focused largely on public sector capacity building and improved readiness for dealing with outbreaks of avian influenza in domestic poultry. However, the Project has been assigned World Bank environmental Category B, since it supports investments in incineration capacity for culled poultry. The EA process for the Animal Health Component of the Project is addressed through this EMP. The EMP covers the deployment of incineration capacity (mainly mobile but also potentially through stationary incineration units) and clean up of animal wastes of culled poultry by the local veterinary services supported under the Project. Key considerations to be taken into account during the EA process include:
Generic initial screening to determine appropriate environmental assessment;
Compliance with existing environmental regulations in Mongolia;
Analysis of alternatives;
Public participation and consultation with affected people and organizations; and
Disclosure of information.
The FAO/OIE’s Global Strategy.The long-term vision of the strategy prepared by FAO and OIE in collaboration with WHO is to minimize the global threat and risk of HPAI in humans and domestic poultry, through progressive control and eradication of HPAI, particularly that caused by H5N1 virus, from terrestrial domestic poultry. The global strategy will be implemented over three time frames: immediate to short (1-3 years), short to medium (4-6 years) and medium to long-term (7-10 years). During this period the spread of HPAI, mainly of the H5N1 strain, will have been progressively controlled in domestic poultry of all infected countries, and prevented from affecting those countries not currently infected, but at high risk. The strategy originally prepared to control HPAI in Asia is being revised by FAO and OIE to take into account the current spread on the disease outside Asia. The strategy will be complemented by more detailed country specific HPAI control plans. FAO/OIE have also issued specific recommendations for avian influenza and OIE has recently issued recommendations for each region, in addition to its standards and guidelines provided for the prevention and control of HPAI in animals.
The Recommended Strategic Action plan prepared by WHO for Responding to the Avian Influenza Pandemic Threat lays out activities for individual countries, the international community, and WHO to prepare for a pandemic and mitigate its impact. The objectives of the plan correspond to the opportunities and capacities to intervene and are structured in three phases:
(i) pre-pandemic – supporting the FAO/OIE’s control strategy; increasing collaboration between animal and health services; strengthening EWS,
(ii) emergence of a pandemic – containing or delaying spread at the source, and
(iii) pandemic declared and spreading internationally – reducing morbidity, mortality and social disruption; conducting research to guide response measures.
WHO has also prepared a global plan and guidelines for pandemic preparedness and is in the process of developing a model country plan that will allow countries to assess their state of preparedness and identify priority needs.
The Bank has developed a global facility through a multi-country adjustable program loan (MAP). In parallel, the Bank is discussing with the EU, WHO and FAO/OIE, and bilateral donors the establishment of a multi-donor trust fund (TF) that primarily supports country level activities in conjunction with a smaller and complementary role at the regional and global level.
3.2 Mongolian Legislation
The Constitution of Mongolia
The competences of the various legislative organs in Mongolia are regulated by the Constitution. The concept of environmental protection is standardized in Articles 16 and 38 of the basic law.