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Vietnam Prepares for H1N1, Future Pandemics
FrontLines - October 2009
By Richard Nyberg
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Animal health workers in southern Vietnam immunize a chick to keep bird flu in check.
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HANOI—USAID is helping Vietnam develop model programs
not only to contain bird flu, but to cope with H1N1 and future pandemics.
In 2003, Vietnam reported the world’s first human case of avian influenza. Since then, the country
has experienced more than 100 human cases, half of which resulted in deaths, and 3,000 animal
outbreaks. But the number of human and animal cases has dropped significantly as Vietnam has taken measures against H5N1, the scientific designation for bird flu.
Meanwhile, thousands of Vietnamese have become infected with H1N1 in recent months, almost all of whom have recovered. Vietnamese officials say USAID’s $37 million in pandemic influenza support since 2005 has helped the country plan and react appropriately.
"USAID’s avian influenza activities help us a lot to prepare for H1N1," said Nguyen Thu Ha, deputy director of the Provincial Preventative and Medicine Center in Can Tho.
"The protective equipment and disinfectant spray can also be used for H1N1," he said, referring to thousands of sets of personal protective equipment and cases of biodegradable disinfectant powder provided by USAID to high-risk provinces.
Government and development partners are looking to adapt USAID models for reporting and tracking bird flu outbreaks to help handle H1N1. U.S.-funded pilot initiatives, including two villages where special measures have been taken to reduce the risk and spread of disease in the southern Can Tho and northern Hung Yen provinces, are attracting
a lot of attention.
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Animal health workers Pham Ngoc Thien, left, and Le Vu Linh from Thanh My and Vinh Trinh communes show how to vaccinate a chicken during a USAID-sponsored training session in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.
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"USAID support for Can Tho has been beneficial, especially to strengthen the surveillance system at the community level," said Luu Phuoc Hau, deputy director of the province’s animal health department. "The avian and pandemic awareness level has definitely increased."
In July, USAID sponsored Vietnam’s first community outbreak
simulation for more than 350 people in Can Tho and Hung Yen provinces. Using unscripted scenarios, the communities identified households with suspected outbreaks,
reported their findings, and coordinated appropriate responses.
"The simulation meets the expectations from province, AI steering committee, the project and international fellows," Pham Ngoc Dinh, a leading
expert from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, told Can Tho state television. "You enhance the community’s capability to prevent the influenza epidemic in both commune and hamlet level."
To further help with early detection of pandemic influenza, in August, USAID supported Vietnam’s first hands-on training of health experts to prevent and control future outbreaks of diseases. Vietnam’s Ministry of Health launched this two-year field training program with the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The trained specialists, based in regional disease surveillance institutes, will gain skills in disease surveillance, response, management, and public communication.
Other USAID-funded activities include cross border pandemic exercises with China and Laos, support to develop or improve provincial pandemic preparedness plans, training of
animal health workers, public communication campaigns, and journalist training in H1N1 prevention and control measures.
The newest activity just getting
underway is a nationwide assessment and plan for civil society’s role in a pandemic.
★
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by the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
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