Medical experts from 54 countries and international organisations worldwide gathered at a conference in Da Nang on 29 August.  The intention was to strengthen cooperation and share approaches amongst participating countries to prevent animal-to-human transmission diseases, including bird flu, Ebola and rabies.

Diseases that cross over from animals to humans can have massive, rapid and far-reaching consequences on human health

The event was chaired by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), and representatives from Indonesia and Senegal’s governments.

Viet Nam has stepped up the prevention of animal-to-human transmission diseases with the engagement of 27 ministries, departments, and international organisations and sponsors.

The MoH is coordinating with ministries and agencies to continue building a national master plan to implement the International Health Regulations in 2018-2023.

Diseases that cross over from animals to humans, including Ebola and avian influenza, can have massive, rapid and far-reaching consequences on human health, livelihoods, food safety and economic development.

A public health emergency operations centre opened in Viet Nam in 2013 with the participation of the MoH, MARD, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, and such international organisations as the WHO, to coordinate and respond to new diseases, most of which come from animals.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)