Many activities are being organized by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) of the Ministry of Agriculture to face the threat of Avian Influenza epidemic that is already spreading in many countries in both Asia and Europe .

A Joint Steering Committee on Avian Influenza has been established and it acts as the national body responsible for all the policy decisions taken on prevention and control of Avian Influenza in the country. This Committee will oversee the finalization and implementation of an Integrated National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan, which is now being developed. This Plan is expected to set guidelines on prevention of entry of infection to the country and on control measures in the event of infection entry and spread.

The Joint Steering Committee is co-chaired by the Director General of Health Services of the MoH and the Director General Animal Production & Health of the DAPH. Rest of the members comprise of Deputy Director General Public Health Services, Additional Director General Animal Production & Health, Chief Epidemiologist of Epidemiology Unit MoH, Director General Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from Ministries of Finance, Media and Tourism and representatives from World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Steering Committee is responsible for co-ordinating the preventive activities among its various member agencies and for monitoring the activities.

A Joint National Technical Committee on Avian Influenza has also been set up under the Steering Committee to accomplish the set targets in the battle against an imminent global pandemic. The Technical Committee will be responsible for monitoring the global Avian Influenza situation and for identifying high-risk areas and populations. It will aim to establish an early warning system for Sri Lanka , to recommend suitable strategies to prevent entry of disease to the country, to evaluate ongoing animal and human surveillance activities, to strengthen capacity of laboratories and to facilitate the implementation of the Preparedness Plan.

The Technical Committee will be co-chaired by the Additional Director General Animal Production & Health and the Deputy Director General Public Health Services of MoH. Its members include Head of Microbiology Department University of Kelaniya, Director Health Education Bureau, Director Animal Health, Director Veterinary Research, Director Medical Supplies Division of MoH, Director Environment & Occupational Health of MoH, Director Quarantine of MoH, Chief Epidemiologist Epidemiological Unit of MoH, Chief Animal Quarantine Officer, Assistant Director Poultry Development, Director Public Health Veterinary Services, Virologists from the Medical Research Institute, Veterinary Surgeons/ Epidemiology and Veterinary Surgeons/GIS Mapping, Veterinary Research Officer/ Virology and officials from WHO and FAO.

Meanwhile the Epidemiology Unit has taken the initiative to improve awareness on the disease by developing a fact sheet for the web site and a leaflet for field public health officers and for the public. Arrangements have also been made to stockpile drugs and personal protective equipment in sufficient quantity to manage the outbreak in the event of the disease entering the country.