November 7, 2005

EU health chief to fly to Southeast Asia for bird flu discussion

The EU's Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou will next week travel to Southeast Asia for talks with ministers about their efforts to contain a deadly strain of bird flu that has recently spread to Europe from Asia.

Kyprianou will visit Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, during a ten-day office tour starting Nov 6. The commissioner will discuss the bird flu situation in each country and the measures being taken by the national authorities and international partners to contain the spread of the H5N1 virus.

Since 2003 bird flu has been endemic in both wild birds and poultry in parts of Asia, where it has led to the deaths of more than 60 people and the destruction of more than 150 million chickens. Recent outbreaks of the virus in Turkey, Romania and Russia have set alarm bells ringing in Europe.

Kyprianou's first stop will be in Vietnam, where he is due to meet Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat and Health Minister Tran Thi Trung Chie. The final leg of the tour will take place in Indonesia where the most recent outbreak of the virus occurred in the four countries. Kyprianou will discuss with Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari and the Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries Freddy Numberi about how surveillance and control of the virus can be strengthened.

"The EU recognizes that, no matter where it strikes, bird flu is a global problem that calls for a coordinated global response. We will do everything we can to help the countries of South East Asia," Kyprianou said.

A health conference in Geneva Nov 7-9 will provide an important opportunity for the international community to identify the global needs and resources that can be made available to developing countries to help them combat the virus ahead of a formal donors conference in Jan 2006, the commissioner added.

During the 2004 and 2005 outbreaks the commission provided EUR1.6 million to Vietnam via the WHO to purchase protective equipment for people involved in culling birds, hospital equipment, preventive medicines and antiviral drugs and to implement awareness raising activities, including training for health staff. A number of EU experts were also deployed to the country to help curb the disease.

The commission is also providing financial support to Cambodia to establish an animal health surveillance system.