EC and Vietnam try to prevent bird flu

The European Commission (EC) has earmarked an amount of 30 million euros to help Asian countries fight avian influenza in 2006. How much will Vietnam support be announced right after the end of the Conference? between international partners on avian and human flu, taking place in Geneva from 7-9 November.

Mr. Markos Kyprianou: "Bird flu is not a country's own problem that is a leading threat."

Mr. Markos Kyprianou. The EC Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection confirmed this information at the EC press conference this afternoon (November 8). Mr. Markos Kyprianou said that the preparation of human resources for influenza prevention and control in Vietnam is very good. However, Vietnam needs to promote the development of infrastructure, supporting equipment in the process of preventing pandemic risk. He also noted that Hanoi needs to pay more attention to those who directly work or are involved in the prevention of bird flu.

" The Vietnamese government should compensate poultry farmers satisfactorily, so that the poorest people can give up their own resources without having to think much about that great loss ", he said. Markos Kyprianou said.

Earlier, the EU supported Vietnam with a total value of 1.6 million euros in the fight against bird flu in the outbreaks of 2004 and early 2005. This amount is funded by the World Health Organization (WHO). ) coordination, used to purchase medical equipment, preventive medicine and antiviral drugs, but also implement awareness raising activities, including training for health workers. This is part of a larger support package for Vietnam's health sector, about 27 million euros, which the EC is currently one of the leading donors.

Also at the press conference, Mr. Markos Kyprianou said, EU countries currently have two types of emergency action plans when pandemics occur, one at the alliance level, one for each member of the block.

These plans were discussed at the committee meeting in Copenhagen (Denmark) last weekend. Accordingly, some European countries are considering the possibility of withdrawing all of their employees working in countries where bird flu has occurred.

In Asia, the first case of suspected type A influenza H5N1 virus infection was identified in Thailand in November 2003. Since then, there have been many confirmed outbreaks in Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong), Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Korea, Pakistan, South Korea and Vietnam. The widespread geographical spread of type A influenza is still ongoing in Asia, and has spread to Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The plague has affected all poultry and wild birds, resulting in 150 million poultry losses in the area. The disease has killed 62 people.

H.Yen