The three-month course, known as the Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training Program, aims to enhance the ability of governmental animal health agencies to effectively detect, and control outbreaks of the H5N1 avian virus.
The program will be conducted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in cooperation with the UN Joint Program, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Vietnam Avian Influenza Program, and the Department of Animal Health of Vietnam.
Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by avian influenza, which is caused by the H5N1 virus, and has incurred millions of dollars in losses due to bird flu outbreaks in poultry over the past four years, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Hanoi.
Since 2003, Vietnam has recorded 109 cases of bird flu in humans. Fifty-four of those people infected died.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, avian flu outbreaks have occurred in 11 provinces so far this year.
USAID has provided $27.5 million for avian influenza prevention and control in Vietnam since 2005.
Reported by Thanh Nguyen |
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