Vietnam to Benefit from Australian Aid for Bird Flu Fight in APEC

Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding financing AUD4 million ($3.06 million) to help APEC economies including Vietnam bolster their defenses against emerging and infectious diseases, particularly bird flu, according to the APEC news release issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat in Hanoi on November 16.

 

The fund is expected to strengthen coordination and response mechanisms, build effective and transparent regional communication systems and develop business continuity and recovery plans.

 

The finance is part of an AUD10-million commitment made by Australia at APEC 2005 to support APEC initiatives combating avian influenza.

 

Vietnam has been successfully containing bird flu epidemic with no new outbreaks reported nationwide for almost 11 months.

 

Bird flu began ravaging poultry farms across Vietnam in late 2003, culling around 66 million fowl. The virus was transmitted to humans at about the same time, killing 42 people and affecting 51 others in Vietnam to date.