Viet Nam continues to apply strict measures for avian influenza prevention and control

Other participants included the members of the National Steering committee for Avian Influenza Prevention and Control, representatives of related ministries and sectors, and representative of PAHI Secretariat also attend the meeting. At each of the provincial channel, chairman or leaders of all 63 provinces and cities attend the teleconference.

Minister Cao Duc Phat expressed in his opening speech that preventing the introduction of the influenza A/H7N9 virus into Viet Nam and control of the influenza A/H5N1 virus already circulating in the country are two important tasks that need to be carried out simultaneously. A report made by the Department of Animal Health indicated that the overall prevalence of influenza A/H5N1 was about 6% at the individual bird level and 61% at the individual live bird market level. Mr Phat said that the most important measure is to share information and communicate with the public to raise their awareness and so that they can apply control measures by themselves. Drawing on 10 years of experience, Mr Phat said that communication is very important and any control program can only succeed with the participation of the public. Local agencies have to work closely together to deal avian influenza outbreaks, including cleaning, disinfection, vaccination and other measures. Local veterinary agencies have to make sure that poultry are managed well all the way from the origin to the final destination whenever poultry are transported from one location to another. The nation must have an appropriate compensation policy to encourage poultry owners to be actively involved in control activities and to stop them from panic selling and hiding information about diseased poultry. Minister Phat also requested all provinces bordering with China to prevent the introduction of influenza A/H7N9 through the application of strict control measures. All provinces have to use their local contingency budget for control activities and they have report to the central government if their local budget is not sufficient  to cover all control activities.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai stressed that the central government will provide all necessary conditions to support ministries and provinces to control avian influenza. Mr Hai also requested the Ministry of Police, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, customs and border military forces and local authorities to stop completely the illegal import of animal and animal products. All provinces need to review and monitor live bird markets to ensure that they comply well with the National Action plan on emergency response to dangerous avian influenza virus strains with the potential to infect humans. He also directed all ministries and provinces to implement all tasks described in the Prime Minister’s Official Telegraph 200/CĐ-TTg dated 14/2/2014, and to implement a month for cleaning and disinfection throughout the nation. Those provinces that do not have yet the action plan must establish a new plan for detailed activities. Mr Hai also requested for more communication on avian influenza and control measures. He approved a proposal by Minster Phat to increase the number of vaccine doses (up to 60 million) in the national contingency plan. Mr Hai requested weekly reports from MARD to the central government about the avian influenza situation, and similarly directed all provinces to provide weekly reports to MARD on the disease situation and control activities.