May 25, 2005

Thailand commended for effective bird flu control

Thailand has been commended by the World Health Organisation for its success in containing the outbreak of bird flu.

The recent WHO conference in Geneva agreed to set up an international bird flu information centre to help affected countries obtain up-to-date information on outbreaks of the virus.

According to Thai Health Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul, the international body is considering the Asian country's proposal to set up a regional vaccine centre against the virus in Bangkok.

He added that the aim of a regional vaccine centre was to prevent individual countries from stockpiling.

Two major outbreaks of the disease have hit Thailand since early 2004. The virus ravaged the country's poultry industry and took the lives of a dozen Thais.