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Thailand has instituted an aggressive bird flu surveillance and containment program, and this year has seen a reduction in outbreaks and no human cases reported. They are working with neighboring Laos to keep the virus at bay.
Thailand, Laos enhance efforts to control bird flu
BANGKOK, Oct 15 (TNA) – Thai Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla on Monday emphasized cooperation between Thailand and Laos in preventing potential bird flu outbreaks along the border.
Speaking after meeting with Lao Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Tee Phommasack, Mr. Mongkol said the two countries, sharing borders in many provinces, had been working together on public health cooperation since 1995.
Dr. Tee led his team to observe Thailand’s bird flu and influenza prevention measures. Laos reported two bird flu deaths this year.
Thailand has been successful in controlling avian flu as there are rapid investigation teams in every province and 800,000 public health volunteers scattered in every village to keep surveillance on any possible bird flu outbreak.
There has been no report of new bird flu human cases in Thailand for 14 months while 60 per cent of the 12 countries, where bird flu cases were reported, found recurrence of the disease.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Disease Control Department Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn said the five–year public health cooperation plan (2007-2011) between Thailand and Laos focuses on prevention of bird flu, dengue fever, malaria, HIV and tuberculosis.
Under the plan, rapid mobile units would work along the Thai-Lao border to monitor these diseases and Thailand would also host a conference to discuss more cooperation measures within this year.
The conference would be attended by specialists in epidemiology from seven border provinces of Thailand and seven provinces of Laos. (TNA) – E004
