Vietnam's Commitment To Bird Flu Fight Applauded

According to this article, health experts are praising Vietnam as an important leader in the regional and global fight against avian influenza. Health experts commended Vietnam’s commitment to the fight against the virus at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) health seminar in Hanoi in May 2007.

According to Michael Iademarco, Health Attaché of the United States Embassy in Vietnam, an important factor in Vietnam’s strong leadership in the fight against bird flu is the open and transparent way that the country has shared information and virus samples. According to Iademarco, this cooperative and open approach has successfully kept the number of avian flu outbreaks to a minimum.

Vietnam was also applauded for its comprehensive reporting system, which includes early detection and response, vaccination, a bird flu hotline and an online reporting system to help with pathogenic influenza information management.