PRESS RELEASE

July 28, 2009

US Supports Vietnam’s First Community Avian Influenza Outbreak Simulation

HANOI, July 28, 2009 -- Communes in Can Tho and Hung Yen Provinces recently demonstrated their ability to recognize and respond to the threat of avian and pandemic influenza in humans and poultry through simulations of outbreaks in their communities. 

More than 350 people in the two provinces took part in the exercise -- the first of its kind conducted at the commune level in Vietnam.

Funded by the US Government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the exercise focused on the community level where the threat of avian and pandemic influenza remains, and where initial detection and response efforts are essential to limiting the impact of future outbreaks.

Responding to unscripted scenarios, these communities had to identify households where a suspected outbreak might be occurring and then to follow procedures to report the outbreak and organize and coordinate appropriate responses at their level.  Technical observers provided detailed feedback to the simulation participants and communities.  The feedback identified how the communities could further improve their capacity to protect themselves from the avian influenza threat to humans and poultry.

The project, implemented by Abt Associates, works with selected communities to develop effective and sustainable intervention models in the areas of community-based surveillance, biosecurity, case management and infection control, and has strengthened networks of animal health workers and behavior change communication.  National level health officials said the models developed and demonstrated through the exercise could be extended to address other community public health threats. 

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