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ADB Providing Equipment and Training in Viet Nam's Fight Against Bird Flu

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (4 February 2004) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing its first support in the fight against the avian influenza virus, with US$50,000 to protect workers in Viet Nam dealing with poultry suspected of carrying the virus and funds for a training and health campaign in the Ministry of Health.

The assistance follows ADB President Tadao Chino's pledge in a letter to Le Duc Thuy, Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam last week, that ADB will help combat the outbreak of avian influenza virus in the country.

"Through a $50,000 grant, ADB is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to meet the country's immediate needs for protective clothing," says Bradford Philips, ADB Country Director in Viet Nam.

In addition, ADB has placed $160,000 in a Ministry of Health account to meet its needs for short- and medium-term reconnaissance, training, information campaigns, and capacity building on avian flu.

ADB's Viet Nam Resident Mission is coordinating the organization's response in Viet Nam and working closely with the ministries, WHO, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and other donors to provide effective and timely assistance.

Last year in response to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), ADB approved grants amounting to $5.0 million to provide emergency assistance to address the outbreak and other emerging infectious diseases. Under the assistance a regional disease outbreak response team comprising four long-term experts will be established and based at WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila.

ADB also last year approved a reallocation of $6.2 million of loan funds under a $70 million loan for a Rural Health Project to procure equipment and supplies to deal with outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.

"The undisbursed funds from these two sources can now be mobilized immediately for the fight against avian flu," Mr. Philips adds.

The avian flu outbreak is expected to impact initially at least on rural economies, putting farmers raising poultry under severe economic hardship. In addition, avoidance of poultry products has, in some areas, driven up the price of other meat products and this could be affecting the protein intake of poor households.

More at adb.org/media

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