In an emergency action meeting to combat avian influenza held on October 29, Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Nguyen Thien Nhan, directed the addition of youth volunteers to participate in checkpoints, inspections, and control of poultry and poultry product transportation into the city.
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Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Nguyen Thien Nhan |
Mr. Nhan emphasized: “It is time to control 100% of poultry products circulating in the city.” According to Mr. Phan Phuoc Thao, Deputy Head of the Animal Health Sub-Department of the city, “If an outbreak occurs in the Mekong Delta, the city will immediately close the gateway to the Western region; if an outbreak occurs in the Southeast region, we will also close the gateway to those provinces.”
During this meeting, Deputy Chairman Nguyen Thien Nhan also instructed the Department of Trade and other relevant sectors to develop plans for supplying alternative meats to replace poultry, ensuring essential needs for the city’s residents. For poultry currently, there is also a need for solutions for slaughtering and cold storage to ensure supply for the coming months.
The meeting to implement the emergency action plan against the avian influenza outbreak was convened down to the ward and commune level, but at the conference, it was noted that “the attendance from various levels was lacking.” Expressing dissatisfaction with the absences, Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan assessed: “This clearly shows a lack of adequate attention to the avian influenza issue… The number of absences poses a significant risk to epidemic prevention efforts.”
DONG HUNG
