U.S. helps Vietnam fight bird flu
The U.S. will hand out more money to help Vietnam combat bird flu with a new US$3.6 million year-long program, which may be extended for another two years.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project will key in on five high-risk provinces -- the Mekong Delta provinces of Can Tho and Kien Giang, the central province of Quang Tri, and the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Hung Yen -- as the base for testing and applying risk reduction practices.
Ha Nam has experienced eight avian influenza outbreaks in poultry over the past two years. Located near the capital of Hanoi, Ha Nam has a large poultry market, along with many small commercial poultry farms and a bustling poultry trade.
Work will involve campaigns to raise public awareness about influenza and training for animal and human medical workers in monitoring, preventing, and controlling the epidemic.
Through the program, veterinarians, managerial staff at commune level, poultry dealers, transporters, and breeding households will be trained how to curb possible outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry and humans.
If approved, USAID plans extend the project by another two years and US$6.4 million.
Since 2005 the U.S. has allocated around $50 million to support Vietnam's programs to combat influenza.
Vietnam was one of the first countries in the world hit by avian influenza H5N1 outbreaks in 2003 and also reported the world’s first human case that same year.
Since then, the country has recorded more than 3,000 animal outbreaks across the country and has had more than 100 human cases, half of which have been fatalities.
Globally, Vietnam ranks second behind Indonesia in terms of human cases and deaths.
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