January 28, 2004

Thailand Propose Setting Up Regional Bird Flu Study Centre

Thailand's Public Health Ministry will propose setting up a regional centre to study the bird flu virus during today's International Summit held in Bangkok

Among the participants will be the health and agricultural ministers from Cambodia, Laos, China, Malaysia, the United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong.

Representatives from the Organisation of International Epidemic, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) will also attend.

South Korea, Japan and Taiwan will send directors and experts to the meeting. The European Union, Singapore and Indonesia have still to reply.

Public health permanent secretary Vallop Thaineua said the proposed centre should be responsible for monitoring developments of the virus, prevention and control measures.

The centre should systematically compile medical details of each of human bird flu cases found in Thailand and Vietnam.

"A detailed autopsy should be carried out on each case, to make sure every detail about the virus and its effect on various parts of the body is compiled," Dr Vallop said.

He said WHO experts, now in Thailand to investigate the bird flu outbreak, would look into the medical record of each confirmed patient.

The WHO team expressed hope today's meeting would put all the affected countries on the same track in fighting the disease.

John Rainford, the WHO communications officer who accompanied Dr Theresa Tam, a WHO specialist in respiratory infection, said his organisation was working on different options that could be used in handling the situation.

Dr Tam has had experience dealing with the outbreaks of Sars and bird flu in Hong Kong.

Mr Rainford declined to say what the options were, but said the WHO would have to first make sure they understand what has already been put in place in Thailand, to respond to the situation.

"The real challenge is to focus on how we're going to deal with the threat right now and the threat that could come in the future," he said.

Mr Rainford declined to comment on whether he felt the Thai government was slow in responding to the problem, but said Thai health officials have shown much openness, cooperation and willingness in sharing information.

"No country or organisation can confront such a situation on their own," he said, adding that all countries must ensure the information they have is being gathered and shared appropriately.

The WHO team will be in Thailand for an indefinite period, depending on the country's response in curbing bird flu. Their visit was arranged on Friday, immediately after the WHO was notified of the first two human cases of infection in the country.