• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Asian Countries Agree to Set Up Bird Flu Vaccine Center

Posted on: Saturday, 13 August 2005, 09:00 CDT

Asian countries agree to set up bird flu vaccine center

BANGKOK, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Asian countries threatened by the continuing bird flu epidemic agreed here Thursday to set up a centralized reserve center of anti-bird flu virus vaccine.

Speaking after a meeting of public health ministers from 11 Asian countries affected by avian influenza, Thai Public Health Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul said that the idea to establish a single holding center for bird flu vaccine was endorsed by all the participating countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Bhutan, Laos and Thailand, the Thai News Agency reported.

Suchai said that stocking the medication in a single location should be made so that vaccine supplies could be flown to an outbreak location within 24 hours.

He said the World Health Organization would investigate funding and supply options and undertake the implementation of the idea.

In addition to the vaccine bank, the partner countries agreed to form a rapid information exchange network regarding bird flu and to lend technical support to one another, the report said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

More News in this Category