AlaskaDenise
In Memoriam
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01HEA231206
(23-12-2006)
HA NOI ? Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday ordered all local governments to make measures to prevent further bird flu transmission in poultry and humans their focal task.
In an urgent dispatch, Dung asked authorities in all provinces and cities to strengthen surveillance of poultry farms in order to ensure early detection of new outbreaks, promptly cull all affected poultry, and intensify disinfections and detoxification of farms in line with veterinary agencies? guidance.
Relevant agencies were ordered to vaccinate all poultry in high-risk areas and tighten control of transportation, sale and slaughter of poultry and related products. Border provinces must strictly punish cases of illegal importation of poultry and poultry products, the dispatch said.
Also yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung met with leaders of the southern provinces of Ca Mau and Bac Lieu where new outbreaks were reported and with representatives from concerned ministries and agencies.
Hung criticised the provinces for their delay in discovering the newest bird flu outbreak and ordered drastic measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The two provinces were slow in detecting and reporting bird flu, their vaccinations for poultry have not met requirements, their culling of dead poultry was conducted slowly and irresolutely, and local authorities at all levels have been inactive in prevention work, Hung said during the urgent meeting in HCM City yesterday with the chairmen of the Ca Mau and Bac Lieu People?s Committees and representatives from concerned ministries and agencies.
Hung ordered the two provinces to complete the culling of poultry today, quickly conduct disinfections and detoxification, tighten control of transportation of poultry and related products, and strictly monitor the health of the human population in epidemic-hit areas.
The Department of Veterinary under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on Tuesday that Viet Nam had detected bird flu in Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces after seeing no outbreaks for one year. The new outbreak resulted in the cull of 490 chickens and 2,033 ducks in Tran Van Thai District of Ca Mau, and 3,550 ducks in Hoa Binh District of Bac Lieu.
Celebrities join effort
Some of the country?s top celebrities, including Miss Viet Nam, are slated to appear in public service announcements designed to raise awareness about avian flu in the lead-up to Tet (lunar new year). Singers Lam Truong and Thanh Lam will also participate in the campaign, organised by the Vietnamese Government and the United Nations following the two outbreaks.
"It is pressing that communication activities are accelerated to guide farmers and the general public on how to practise safe poultry raising, detect the disease in a timely manner and report to local authorities to control the spread of the disease," said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat. "This will certainly contribute to Government?s overall efforts to stop the outbreak, which include the culling of sick poultry, disinfecting contaminated zones and banning poultry movements within the outbreak areas," Phat said.
New outbreaks of avian flu this month in two Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces are the first in almost 12 months, and there have been no human cases reported for more than one year.
The pre-Tet communication campaign, which includes about 15 celebrities, will encourage the public to follow safety guidelines when handling poultry.
The campaign, officials hope, will reach the general public, farmers, health and agriculture extension workers, educators and especially children.
Campaign materials, which officials believe will both entertain and educate, include TV and radio spots, hygiene products, information kits, posters, leaflets and a regular avian flu column in various newspapers.
World Health Organisation medical epidemiologist Dr Rick Brown said the Government is doing a good job containing the latest flare-ups of avian flu. "Although the new outbreaks are disappointing news for Viet Nam, we commend the prompt action already taken by the Ministry of Health in enhancing surveillance for possible human cases, alerting health care facilities and in strengthening health messaging to affected communities."
Localities have banned the export of poultry and cleaned up areas surrounding the outbreaks.
On Thursday, HCM City rushed to prevent bird flu from spreading to the city.
Quarantine check-points have been ordered to work around the clock to tighten the examination of poultry transported to the city, particularly those from the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. ? VNS
.
HA NOI ? Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday ordered all local governments to make measures to prevent further bird flu transmission in poultry and humans their focal task.
In an urgent dispatch, Dung asked authorities in all provinces and cities to strengthen surveillance of poultry farms in order to ensure early detection of new outbreaks, promptly cull all affected poultry, and intensify disinfections and detoxification of farms in line with veterinary agencies? guidance.
Relevant agencies were ordered to vaccinate all poultry in high-risk areas and tighten control of transportation, sale and slaughter of poultry and related products. Border provinces must strictly punish cases of illegal importation of poultry and poultry products, the dispatch said.
Also yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung met with leaders of the southern provinces of Ca Mau and Bac Lieu where new outbreaks were reported and with representatives from concerned ministries and agencies.
Hung criticised the provinces for their delay in discovering the newest bird flu outbreak and ordered drastic measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The two provinces were slow in detecting and reporting bird flu, their vaccinations for poultry have not met requirements, their culling of dead poultry was conducted slowly and irresolutely, and local authorities at all levels have been inactive in prevention work, Hung said during the urgent meeting in HCM City yesterday with the chairmen of the Ca Mau and Bac Lieu People?s Committees and representatives from concerned ministries and agencies.
Hung ordered the two provinces to complete the culling of poultry today, quickly conduct disinfections and detoxification, tighten control of transportation of poultry and related products, and strictly monitor the health of the human population in epidemic-hit areas.
The Department of Veterinary under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on Tuesday that Viet Nam had detected bird flu in Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces after seeing no outbreaks for one year. The new outbreak resulted in the cull of 490 chickens and 2,033 ducks in Tran Van Thai District of Ca Mau, and 3,550 ducks in Hoa Binh District of Bac Lieu.
Celebrities join effort
Some of the country?s top celebrities, including Miss Viet Nam, are slated to appear in public service announcements designed to raise awareness about avian flu in the lead-up to Tet (lunar new year). Singers Lam Truong and Thanh Lam will also participate in the campaign, organised by the Vietnamese Government and the United Nations following the two outbreaks.
"It is pressing that communication activities are accelerated to guide farmers and the general public on how to practise safe poultry raising, detect the disease in a timely manner and report to local authorities to control the spread of the disease," said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat. "This will certainly contribute to Government?s overall efforts to stop the outbreak, which include the culling of sick poultry, disinfecting contaminated zones and banning poultry movements within the outbreak areas," Phat said.
New outbreaks of avian flu this month in two Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces are the first in almost 12 months, and there have been no human cases reported for more than one year.
The pre-Tet communication campaign, which includes about 15 celebrities, will encourage the public to follow safety guidelines when handling poultry.
The campaign, officials hope, will reach the general public, farmers, health and agriculture extension workers, educators and especially children.
Campaign materials, which officials believe will both entertain and educate, include TV and radio spots, hygiene products, information kits, posters, leaflets and a regular avian flu column in various newspapers.
World Health Organisation medical epidemiologist Dr Rick Brown said the Government is doing a good job containing the latest flare-ups of avian flu. "Although the new outbreaks are disappointing news for Viet Nam, we commend the prompt action already taken by the Ministry of Health in enhancing surveillance for possible human cases, alerting health care facilities and in strengthening health messaging to affected communities."
Localities have banned the export of poultry and cleaned up areas surrounding the outbreaks.
On Thursday, HCM City rushed to prevent bird flu from spreading to the city.
Quarantine check-points have been ordered to work around the clock to tighten the examination of poultry transported to the city, particularly those from the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. ? VNS
.