Nguyen Duc Hanh and veterinarian Phung Thi Thao inspect personal protective kits at Vietnam's Department of Animal Health. Photo: Richard Nyberg, USAID

United States Donates Protective Suits and Disinfectant for Avian Influenza Response Preparedness

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

HANOI, May 27, 2009 – The United States is providing Vietnam with 4,000 sets of personal protective equipment and 100 boxes of biodegradable powder -- enough to produce over 20,000 liters of disinfectant to help animal health workers respond quickly to potential new outbreaks of avian or H1N1 influenza.

This assistance package, valued at over $57,000 and implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) comes at the request of Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with technical support from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. It is being sent to veterinary departments in 10 provinces throughout the country most at risk of bird flu or in greatest need of the supplies: Can Tho, Ha Nam, Hau Giang, Hung Yen, Kien Giang, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, Thai Nguyen, and Tra Vinh.

The protective gear is intended for use in high-risk provinces to prevent human exposure to the H5N1 Avian Influenza virus and will be used by outbreak responders and others involved in identifying and controlling H5N1 or H1N1 in Vietnam.

The gear will limit the risk of animal-to-animal and animal-to-human infection during outbreak response activities such as disposing of infected poultry and decontaminating poultry raising areas.  The package of materials is necessary to appropriately disinfect farms that have suffered outbreaks, in turn helping prevent the spread of outbreaks to neighboring farms.

Since 2005, the U.S. Government has provided more than $33.5 million to support Vietnam’s programs to combat avian influenza.

###

FURTHER READING

• Vietnam Country Profile (87 KB PDF)

Back to Vietnam News Room

Go to Vietnam Country Page