December 7, 2011

Vietnam gets US support in fighting avian flu

A poultry trading section designed to limit disease transmission has been handed over by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to management board of Dong Ha Market in the central province of Quang Tri on December 5.

The trading area, which is built at a cost of VND1.1 billion (US$52,366) including VND900 million (US$42,845) from USAID, is divided into counters for live chickens and processed meat.

The establishment of the area is expected to reduce the risk of spreading avian flu and other infectious diseases to both traders and consumers, increase the management ability in detecting and controlling the epidemic, helping improve food safety.

The area is a part of the USAID's Avian and Pandemic Influenza Initiative being carried out from November 2009 to December 2012 in five provinces of Vietnam including Can Tho, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Kien Giang and Quang Tri.