Japan's concrete actions to follow up the Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative
December 2000
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
On the occasion of Kyushu-Okinawa G8 Summit, Japan announced the "Okinawa ID (Infectious Diseases) Initiative (IDI)" for enhancing its assistance, with the target of allocating a total of US$ 3 billion over the next 5 years, for measures against infectious and parasitic diseases (such as HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria/parasitic diseases and polio), as well as those for the improvement of public health, the development of research networks, basic education and the access to safe water. In the framework of the IDI, Japan has accelerated its formulating and implementing various projects, programmes and schemes in this fiscal year as is shown below. More than US$ 300 million financial commitments and other various assistance have been decided and implemented as of today. To further strengthen the efforts to achieve the target, Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the Ministry of Finance to establish a new grant aid budget specifically allocated to infectious diseases as one of the priority areas in the FY2001 budget appropriation. In addition, Japan decided to implement infectious diseases control projects which amount to about US$ 10 million through the "Trust Fund for Human Security" established in the United Nations to strengthen its support to the NGO activities. Three projects which amount to about US$ 1.2 million have been implemented so far.
I. HIV/AIDS control
Partnership with civil society, donors and international organizations
US$ 1 million to the "Japan Trust Fund for HIV/AIDS" in the IPPF
Japan decided to contribute to US$ 1 million to the Japan Trust Fund for HIV/AIDS newly established in the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation), the largest international NGO in the population and reproductive health* sector. This Fund, as one of the initial action of the IDI, will be used to support the IPPF's activities on HIV/AIDS such as HIV/AIDS prevention and control of STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) at grassroots level. In FY 2000, the fund will support projects to be formulated in Africa, South Asia, and East and South-East Asia and Oceania. Japan is the largest contributer to the IPPF since 1986.
* Reproductive Health (RH)
Sexual and reproductive health. A comprehensive concept that emphasize the linkage between the issues of population and family planning, and primary health care, HIV/AIDS control, primary education, and women's rights.
Japan-US joint project formulation missions to Tanzania
Japan and the US have recently reached an agreement to dispatch a joint project formulation mission to Tanzania early next year, to focus their efforts on stemming the infectious and parasitic diseases such as HIV/AIDS and improving maternal and child health. Japan and the US sent the joint project formulation mission on population and HIV/AIDS to Zambia, Bangladesh and Cambodia under the US-Japan Common Agenda. Joint mission to Cambodia which was sent just before the G8 Summit identified HIV/AIDS, TB, co-infection of HIV and TB, malaria and other infectious diseases and maternal and child health as priority areas of the country for future Japan-US cooperation.
As one of the follow-ups of the Japan-US joint mission to Zambia, in March this year, Japan started the HIV prevention and advocacy project for the high risk group including commercial sex workers and truck drivers at Zambian borders in cooperation with the US and the NGOs through JICA Community Empowerment Programme.
Strengthening institution
US$ 3.64 million HIV/AIDS prevention project in Vietnam
HIV prevalence in Vietnam is rapidly growing in recent years. It is an urgent issue to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. Japan provided grant assistance up to 382 million yen (US$ 3.64 million) to contribute to implementing the HIV/AIDS prevention project in Vietnam. This institution is to provide financial assistance to purchase blood test and screening kits, equipment for the IEC activities and condoms for preventing further prevalence of HIV/AIDS for 17 million people living in Ho Chi Minh city and 9 provinces.
US$ 14.36 million blood transfusion project in Sri Lanka
Japan provided ODA Loan up to 1,508 million yen (US$ 14.36 million) for the project for improvement of the national blood transfusion services. This project contributes to the establishment of the safe and efficient blood supply for the infectious diseases control in the country. The ODA Loan is used for the construction of the National Blood Transfusion Center, supply of equipment to the Center and local blood banks and consulting services including engineering service and training.
US$ 144 thousand HIV/AIDS projects to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Kenya
Japan, using grant assistance for grassroots projects, provided US$ 32 thousand for supply of the mass media video equipment for AIDS eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo, US$ 40 thousand for strengthening the obstetrics clinic of institute of HIV/AIDS and STI control in Haiti, and US$ 72 thousand for the establishment of HIV voluntary counseling and testing center at Kenyatta National Hospital respectively.
New project starts for laboratory capacity-building for HIV/AIDS and TB control in Zambia
Japan has been providing technical assistance to the foundation and capacity building of virology and TB laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia in the past ten years. Based on the past achievement, it is anticipated that the new project, which is planned to be started by March 2000, will contribute to the effective control of two of the most deadly diseases in Zambia, HIV/AIDS and TB, through (1) further capacity building of the national reference laboratories, (2) standardization and quality assurance of peripheral front-line laboratories, (3) promotion of utilization of laboratory services by clinicians, (4) promotion of utilization of laboratory data and research results by decision makers and (5) promotion of collaboration between laboratory workers and national programmes.
Human resources development
AIDS management course implemented by the FASID
The Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID) implemented AIDS management course in Ho Chi Minh city in November to train staff from Japan and Indo-china region on the project management to address HIV/AIDS. This programme was co-sponsored with the USAID and assisted by the US NGO. The FASID was established in 1990 as a means of fostering development cooperation professionals with both theoretical and practical knowledge. The FASID also plans to undertake the senior project management course in Chiangmai city which is funded by the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund.
US$ 600 thousand of technical assistance to capacity building for HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Cambodia (ADB Japan Special Fund (JSF) financing)
HIV/AIDS in Cambodia, first detected in 1991 in the country, continue to spread rapidly. The recent UNAIDS estimates show that over 200,000 people are now infected with HIV. HIV/AIDS infection exacerbates poverty, creating conditions for a larger epidemic in the country. Japan decided to provide technical assistance to Cambodia through the JSF financing (US$ 600 thousand) to build capacity and improve the effectiveness of the Government response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. Specific components of TA are strengthening multi-sectoral and provincial responses to the epidemic and analysis of surveillance data to identify risk factors, trends in transmission and patterns of the epidemic.
South-South cooperation (Sharing of knowledge among developing countries)
Seminar on the Development of Health and Medical Services for Africa
About 70% of the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world concentrated in Sub-Sahara Africa, which has about 10% of the world population. Given this critical situation, Japan co-hosted with UNAIDS the seminar in November inviting 11 senior level officials and experts (from 8 African, 2 Asian and 1 Latin American countries) as a part of TICAD (Tokyo International Conference African Development) process to promote South-South cooperation in efforts against HIV/AIDS control through exchange and sharing of information and knowledge. The contents of the Chairman's Summary adopted at the seminar will be reflected in discussions at the forthcoming Okinawa International Conference on Infectious Diseases, and will be referred to upon proceeding with the Okinawa ID Initiative.
Promotion of research activities
Cooperation project for research and development on HIV/AIDS in Thailand
Japan is implementing the bilateral aid project with Nations Institute of Health in Thailand for the purpose of capacity building for research and development on HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases. Within the framework of the above project, Japan decided to start the new initiative for developing and improving the HIV vaccine evaluation system in the country with the participation of other donor and leading research institutes. Japan plans to send an expert for this project next year.
II. TB control
Strengthening institution
US$ 3.95 million project for establishment of the national tuberculosis reference laboratory of the Philippines
Japan is implementing TB control project as project-type technical cooperation in the Philippines which are one of the high burden countries and about 60 people died of TB every day according to the WHO report. Japan recently decided to extend grant aid up to 415 million yen (US$ 3.95 million) to the Philippines to provide financial assistance for the establishment of the national TB reference laboratory and provision of necessary equipment for improving training, diagnosis, research and management for TB control.
US$ 5.45 million project for the southern Yemen TB control programme
In Yemen, there are about 12 thousand registered TB patients and about 5 thousand people are newly infected with TB every year. Japan has extended various grant aid totalling approximately 2.5 billion yen and project-type technical assistance for assisting Yemen's national TB control programmes, and recently decided to provide grant aid up to 564 million yen (US$ 5.37 million) for the project for expansion of TB control in the Southern Yemen. Japan's assistance is used for the construction of the TB control center in Aden for training, and diagnostic and research activities.
Furthermore, Japan also provided grant assistance (US$ 76 thousand) for grassroots projects for the rehabilitation of the TB ward of Aden hospital.
Study mission to China for TB control
China has the second largest number of estimated TB incidence in the world and about 250,000 people died of TB every year. TB incidence in China is frequently occurred in the rural area in poverty and can be one of the obstacles to the promotion of the western development which is a priority task in the country. Upon the receipt of the request from China, which is implementing DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short course) programme, Japan recently dispatched a mission examining a possibility of supplies of drugs and necessary equipment such as microscopes for TB control under DOTS in the country.
III. Malaria and parasitic diseases control
Human resources development
Workshop on the global parasite control administration
Japan held the third workshop on the global parasite control administration in November inviting 7 Asian and 6 African countries. Japan, as a country which has a good experience in having successfully controlled parasitic control, committed its contribution to set up centers in Thailand, Kenya and Ghana for training and research activities, as expressed in the Birmingham Summit meeting by then-Prime Minister Hashimoto and TICAD II in 1998. Japan started project-type technical cooperation in the Faculty of Tropical Medicine of the Mahidol University in Thailand, which is expected to be the Asia center for the above "Hashimoto Initiative for global parasite control". The workshop is the first step of Japanese government to sustain the global commitment on parasitic diseases control through human resources development.
Strengthening institution
US$ 2 million Support to Lymphatic Filariasis control in the Pacific region
Japan decided to contribute financial support to elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in the Pacific (Pac-ELF) in cooperation with WHO/WPRO. Pac-ELF is organized by WPRO as a coordinating body of 22 Pacific countries. Upon the receipt of request from WPRO and Pac-ELF, Japan will provide DEC (diethycarbamazine) tablets and rapid diagnostic tests to 14 member countries of South Pacific Forum during coming 5 years, which amounts to 40 million yen per annum. This cooperation is one of the follow-ups of the "Hashimoto Initiative".
IV. Polio eradication
Partnership with civil society, donors and international organization
Kyoto Meeting on Polio Eradication in the Western Pacific Region
Japan successfully co-hosted with WHO/WPRO "Kyoto Meeting on Polio Eradication in the Western Pacific Region" in October, where Western Pacific region's wild polio-free status was announced. Japan, as the largest donor to the region, has provided cooperation with collaboration with WHO/WPRO and UNICEF in supplying vaccines, cold-chain equipment, and related diagnostic equipment for surveillance, which amounted to about US$ 30 million over the period of FY1993-FY1999.
Strengthening institution
US$ 30 million projects for the Polio eradication in South Asia and Africa
Encouraged by the strong progress in the Western Pacific region, Japan is expanding the geographic scope of aid for the eradication of polio to South Asia and Africa. Japan provided grant aid totalling 3.15 billion yen (US$ 30 million) for the polio eradication projects for Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan and Burkina Faso in FY2000.
V. Funding through the Trust Fund for Human Security
Supporting NGO activities
Japan intends to strengthen assistance to NGO activities by providing funding through the Trust Fund for Human Security established in the United Nations.
US$ 481 thousand project for the integrated community-based reproductive health/family planning in the Province of Capiz, Philippines
Japan provided US$ 481 thousand through the Fund for the UNFPA project implemented by the JOICFP, Japanese NGO in population and reproductive health (RH), which improves the access to reproductive health services, builds the capacity of staff and develop knowledge of RH in the 5 model districts in the Philippines.
US$ 181 thousand project for the medical training in Tajikistan
To improve the quality of the public medical services in the rural areas in Tajikistan where medical conditions are poor, Japan provided US$ 181 thousand for the UNDP training project which provides technical expertise for doctors, nurses and midwives in the country.
US$ 530 thousand project for promoting sustainable primary health care and infectious disease prevention in Mongolia
Japan provided US$ 530 thousand for the UNICEF project for revitalizing sustainable primary health care services* on the community level and prevent infectious diseases in Mongolia through providing revolving funds for the people in a poor medical conditions to supply cheaper and qualified essential drugs.
* Primary Health Care (PHC)
PHC is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination.
Japan considers supports for prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS in the Republic of South Africa
Japan is considering the possibility of supporting for the HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation project in the Republic of South Africa, in cooperation with UNDP and other agencies through the Trust Fund for Human Security.
VI. Others
Promotion of public health on the community level
Projects for basic education, safe water supplies and community health services
In FY 2000, Japan provided grant aid totalling about US $ 200 million
- for the primary education projects for Vietnam, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Palestine, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.
- for the safe water supply projects for Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Senegal, Ethiopia, Togo, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lao Republic, Tonga, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.
- for the community health services projects including maternal and child health for Mongolia, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ghana, Guinea and Mali.
Partnership with international organization
Multi-bi cooperation
Japan will hold the second annual consultation meeting with WHO/WPRO in December 11 and 12 in Manila to discuss the priority concerns and possible future collaboration in the areas such as HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and parasitic diseases, polio and other infectious diseases. Japan will also have the regular meeting with UNICEF in February next year. Multi-bi cooperation, a form relying on tie up with such international organization as WHO and UNICEF, is one of the most effective and efficient in development partnership. Multi-bi cooperation with WHO and UNICEF campaign to eradicate polio and to promote the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) is a good example. Japan/UNICEF multi-bi cooperation for EPI over the period of FY1989-FY2000 amounted to about 4.96 billion yen (approximately US$ 47.22 million). Japan has also been implementing multi-bi cooperation with UNFPA in the population and family planning sector. The recent decision to contribute financial support to elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in the Pacific region is another example of multi-bi cooperation with WHO/WPRO and UNICEF.
Contribution to international organization
In FY 2000, Japan contributed US$ 69 million to UNFPA and IPPF, the largest among donors, US$ 7.22 million to UNAIDS and US$ 1.78 million to International Center for Diarrhoaeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) respectively.
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