At a meeting in Hanoi Friday, Residential Representative Irja Sandberg appreciated Vietnam's efforts in bird flu control, especially active contributions by the national Red Cross (VRC) to raising public awareness against the epidemic.

Vietnam, the second-hardest hit country with 43 fatalities since 2003, has not reported any human cases since November.

Dr. Tran Thu Thuy, Head of the Vietnam Red Cross (VRC)'s Healthcare Department, said VRC would hold a workshop on a trans-national project on bird flu control and pandemic prevention in coming October or November.

Red Cross associations from China, Laos and Cambodia would attend the event, she said.

VRC has joined Vietnam's taskforce for implementing the UN program of cooperation on bird flu control and attended conferences in Jakarta, Beijing, Phnom Penh and Geneva to share experiences with other Red Cross associations.

It has won financial support from the IFRC and counterparts from the US, New Zealand, Germany and Spain.

It also received technical assistance from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Source: VNA