“The warning signs regarding the flu epidemic are alarming enough that no country can afford to be complacent. However, currently, no nation is adequately prepared to deal with a pandemic” – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt stated to the press on the morning of October 14 as he began his visit to Vietnam.
– How do you assess the current risk of the H5N1 flu outbreak?
– The world has now become a biologically dangerous place. H5N1 has appeared in many countries, and if it mutates and spreads easily from person to person, it could claim millions of lives and severely impact billions more. We cannot be certain whether a pandemic will occur in the near future, but the warning signs are indeed very concerning.
– In your opinion, what is the most important thing to address a pandemic?
– We must immediately establish a global flu surveillance network. Last week, representatives from 70 countries, including Vietnam, met in the U.S. to discuss forming this network. In addition to stockpiling medications and upgrading equipment, countries need to create rapid response teams and surveillance systems down to the village level; when an outbreak occurs, it must be reported immediately, and this information needs to be made public. I want to emphasize the importance of sharing information quickly and accurately between countries to respond timely to a pandemic. Of course, the need to disclose information about outbreaks may put pressure on authorities, but it is essential for a dangerous disease like avian influenza that requires rapid response. In my opinion, so far, no country is adequately prepared to combat a flu pandemic, so we have much work to do. The U.S. will support Southeast Asian countries in this effort.
– Why has the U.S. decided to assist Southeast Asian countries in combating avian influenza when the disease has not appeared in the U.S.?
– Even if an outbreak occurs far away in the world, other countries cannot be indifferent. Imagine the world as a large forest; if a spark ignites somewhere, it could threaten the entire forest. That spark can be easily extinguished when it first flares up, but if it grows too large, it becomes difficult to control. The same goes for the flu; detecting and extinguishing the first outbreak will save the rest of the world from devastation. Therefore, the U.S. president has initiated partnerships to combat a flu pandemic. During this visit to Vietnam, we want to observe the situation, learn from Vietnam’s experiences in flu prevention, and support your efforts in this area.
– Specifically, how will the U.S. assist Vietnam?
– The U.S. government has decided to allocate $25 million to help Southeast Asian countries combat the flu. Specifically for Vietnam, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is providing $2.4 million; the U.S. Agency for International Development is contributing another $3.4 million. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will also provide separate assistance. This funding will be used to purchase equipment, upgrade laboratories, enhance healthcare personnel capacity, and communicate with the community, establish rapid response teams, and develop disease surveillance networks at the grassroots level. Furthermore, in our meeting with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health this morning, we also offered assistance in testing the flu A vaccine on humans that you are currently researching.
Thanh Nhàn
