January 10, 2007

UN agencies help to keep bird flu at bay in Vietnam

Since its fresh outbreak in December last year, Vietnam is again vulnerable to another bird flu pandemic which killed 42 people and massive death of millions of birds around the country which resulted to huge financial loss since its onset on 2003.

As such, UN agencies, including the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) have established a US$16-million joint programme for a multi-sectoral response by both government and international agencies in helping the country combat the dreaded disease. 

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said it would increase field epidemiology training under the 2006-2010 plan, and boost its support for mass vaccination campaigns and post vaccination monitoring.

Bilateral projects against bird flu funded by the United States, Japan and Ireland through the FAO amount to around US$4 million dollars.

The UNDP and UNICEF programs on bird flu have been have been funded by Australia, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg and New Zealand.

At least 40,000 birds have been culled in the past month in response to the latest flare-up.

A rapid response by the Vietnamese Government, with backing from the international community, has helped bring the situation under control in terms of bird flu transmission to people.

UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam John Hendra said, though no human infection has been reported since November 2005, the organisation should not be complacent in helping Vietnam to build its own capacity to respond in the most effective way possible.

With this support, Agriculture and Rural Development vice minister Bui Ba Bong said the country has now better knowledge and practice to control the disease and is ready to confront any outbreaks.