Recognizing the pandemic potential and the threat to public health posed by the Avian Influenza, Health Ministers and senior officials of thirteen countries from Southeast and East Asian countries have pledged to accelerate joint collaboration in fighting the disease.
They will work together towards the development of vaccines, diagnostic tests for human disease and research urgently needed to provide more concrete information on this evolving virus. While nationally they will develop and implement effective influenza pandemic preparedness plans, the countries have committed to cooperate on all important aspects, like sharing of experiences and knowledge, characterization of the epidemiology of the disease and defining appropriate public health responses.
In their Joint Ministerial Statement on Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza, the ministers asked for WHO’s support for collaborative research for strengthening pandemic preparedness. They asked WHO to establish bi-regional effective mechanisms to support the sustainable implementation of the collaborative efforts among counties, including the control of other emerging infectious diseases. The ministers asked WHO to facilitate global and regional collaboration to make available the resources required to combat this public health threat, especially for developing countries without sufficient resources.
Inaugurating the meeting, Thailand’s Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra signalled a grave warning to the nations about the continuing global risk from Avian Influenza. He said that Thailand had established Special Surveillance and Rapid Response Teams to investigate avian flu outbreaks which have proved to be very effective. Dr Thaksin proposed similar teams should be developed at the international level.