Inter-ministerial Circular of coordinated prevention and control of zoonotics diseases – Initial results and implementing experience
Being considered as a “hot spot” of emerging infectious diseases, Viet Nam has paid significant attention to preventing and responding to zoonotic diseases in recent years. Experience has proved that the effective cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) plays a crucial part in the success of disease control. The inter-ministerial Circular No. 16/2013/TTLT-BYT-BNNPTNT “Guidelines for coordinated prevention and control of zoonotic diseases” dated 15 July 2013 issued by MARD and MOH provides specific guidance on enhancing coordination between the two ministries on periodical reporting, outbreaks surveillance, monitoring and investigation, training, and conducting research on zoonotic diseases prevention.
Sharing workshop on Inter-ministerial Circular on coordinated prevention and control of zoonotics diseases, organized on 18 November 2015 in Hanoi (Source: NIHE)
From June to October 2015, studies have been conducted in Binh Dinh and Thanh Hoa provinces - as two case-studies of following the Circular guidance over the previous time - with support from the Department of Animal Health (DAH), MARD, and the General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM), MOH, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). During the implementation of the Circular in these two provinces, several actions have been undertaken, such as developing the monitoring and surveillance plan, conducting coordinated activities during communication campaigns, and prevention training to cope with outbreaks.
Results in the two provinces have shown that Circular 16 has reached out to local human and animal health officers at all levels and it has also been considered as effective in case of sudden outbreaks. Nonetheless, the implementation in a regular basis has faced difficulties, mainly come from weak cooperation between related parties in the area. Therefore, more efficient mechanism requires development of a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), establishment of an inter-sectoral risk communication plan, an improved reporting system on outbreak status, and training and information sharing among relevant sectors so that more sound management of zoonotic diseases could be obtained.
