ADB helps Vietnam control infectious diseases

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on November 23 to spend $ 49 million on an infectious disease control project in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Prevention of avian influenza. (Internet photo)

The announcement stated that the project aims to expand and consolidate monitoring and response systems to help control dengue outbreaks as well as prevent the spread of infectious diseases, while improving the availability of Health and community services in disease control in 116 bordering districts of these three countries.

ADB believes that infectious diseases such as SARS, bird flu, and influenza A / H1N1 have greatly affected labor productivity, trade and tourism in Asia and will continue to be a threat to public health.

In addition, dengue and other infectious diseases such as cholera, typhoid, HIV / AIDS as well as tropical diseases such as Japanese encephalitis and schistosomiasis are also a major epidemic burden.

According to ADB 's Southeast Asia Department health expert Vincent de Wit , preventing the spread of these diseases requires active local participation and more intensive regional cooperation.

Funding for this project is taken from the Asian Development Fund, in which Vietnam is supported with 27 million USD, Cambodia 10 million USD and Laos 12 million USD.

The Ministry of Health in each country responsible for implementing the project and the implementing unit is located in Vientiane (Laos). The project ended in 2016.