As human cases of Avian Influenza continue to rise in Vietnam, the governments of Australia, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden and Switzerland added their support to the US$6.8 million Joint Government-United Nations Programme to Combat Avian Influenza, backed by the Netherlands in October.
These latest contributions come at a time when 93 confirmed human cases of the H5N1 strain of the virus have been identified in Vietnam since 2003, including 42 deaths, the highest number in the world.
“This is a coordinated partnership with the government, the international community and the United Nations to ensure fast, effective delivery of money, of advice and of information to Vietnam,” said Jordan Ryan, United Nations Resident Coordinator. “We are in the midst of a critical phase where education, prevention and sound decisions can help avoid a pandemic.”
Designed to support and strengthen Vietnam’s efforts to avert a deadly national outbreak of the virus in humans, the implementation of the six-month emergency plan has already begun. Five hundred and nineteen refrigerators have been purchased and delivered to 46 provinces and cities to store the poultry vaccinations. Procurement plans for, for example protective clothing for laboratory staff and poultry vaccinators and drugs is underway.
As part of the first phase of the programme, a nation-wide public education campaign will take place to increase awareness among the general public, and also to change behaviours to help avert an epidemic. Everyone, including farmers, merchants and those handling poultry and birds, need to understand how to stop the spread of the virus and how to protect themselves and their families. UNICEF will lead this important communications component, joining the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as members of the joint Government-UN programme.
A special Steering Committee, made up of key government, donor and UN officials and under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) was formed to direct the Joint Programme’s activities. The Ministry of Health and WHO have developed a detailed action plan and key emergency staff positions have been filled.
The US$6.8 million Emergency Phase of the Government-UN Joint Programme to Combat Avian Influenza is supported by Australia (US$750,000), Finland (US$3.3 million), Luxembourg (US$587,500), the Netherlands (US$1.175 Million), Sweden (US$510,856) and Switzerland (US$400,000).
Quynh Chi
Vietnamese
