Vietnam to mobilize entire society for fighting bird flu
HANOI - Vietnam will mobilize the entire society to take part in the fight against bird flu, Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said at a conference on an urgent plan against the disease held here Monday.
According to the prime minister, the government will intensify its investment in upgrading hospitals, and ensure sufficient reserves of anti-virus drugs. Local veterinary agencies and medical services were also asked to work closely with international organizations and foreign countries counterparts, toclosely follow and regularly exchange information about relevant developments and therapies.
The program needs some 6.8 trillion VND (4.3 billion US dollars)on buying equipment, disinfectants and respirators. To cope with potential bird flu outbreaks among humans in the coming time, the government told the Ministry of Health to purchase medicines, some1,000 respirators and laboratory equipment.
On Sunday, the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology said a bird flu virus strain resisted the medicine named Tamiflu, which is currently considered most effective for treatment of birdflu patients, in only one case in Vietnam early this year.
Up to 91 Vietnamese people have been infected with bird flu since the disease started to break out in the country in late 2003.Of them 41 have died.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,Vietnam has detected 22 bird flu outbreaks in 10 provinces since April, which have killed and led to the forced culling of nearly 14,400 fowls.
To date, 32 out of 64 cities and provinces have vaccinated over50 million fowls. Additional 100 million poultry will be vaccinated next month.
Xinhuanet - October 17, 2005.
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