Asian countries to take new measures to prevent, control avian influenza

NEW DELHI: Asian countries are to develop specific strategies to prevent and control the avian influenza and to be prepared for pandemic influenza threat, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

He said countries belonging to the regional body of ASEAN and SAARC have recognised the significant public health threat posed by the emergence of Avian Influenza.

The Minister was speaking at a conference of Ministers of Health and Agriculture on Avian Influenza Control in New Delhi.

Ministers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand also attended the two day meeting last week.

The participating countries have urged the necessity to establish effective multi sect oral mechanism to address the economic and health issues with regard to International trade and tourism.

The Minister said since several people depend on poultry and animal husbandry for their livelihood, the relevant agencies and sectors should promote safe animal products and food safety to minimise human health risk from avian influenza.

The Minister said countries in the ASEAN and SAARC region recognising the importance of regional initiatives adopted the following declaration at the end of two day conference.

They are to develop a common framework within which countries could build specific strategies for prevention and control of avian influenza and to be prepared for pandemic influenza threat, define uniform standards and monitor their implementation for reducing the risk of HAPAI infection to humans by appropriate control measures of its outbreaks in poultry and other animals, share available knowledge and expertise and also take leadership in the respective regions in surveillance and outbreak investigation, laboratory support, risk communication and research, and further intensify effort to make sufficient resources available to address this public health threat.