Lack of transparency hamper bird flu fight<\/p>\n
Helen Luk, Associated Press\/Hong Kong<\/p>\n
Inadequate transparency and limited resources have hampered
\nSoutheast Asia's battle against bird flu, a senior ASEAN official
\nsaid on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asian countries agreed in September to launch a
\nthree-year plan next year to combat bird flu, which has ravaged
\npoultry populations in the region since 2003 and killed dozens of
\npeople, mostly in Vietnam and Thailand.<\/p>\n
They hope the plan, which includes setting up a disease
\nsurveillance system, can help halt the disease before it turns
\ninto a catastrophic global pandemic with the potential to kill
\nmillions of people.<\/p>\n
In a speech to the business community in Hong Kong, Ong Keng
\nYong, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN), said information-sharing about the disease must
\nimprove.<\/p>\n
"The important thing is transparency, and this is where some
\nof our member countries are still learning. They are always very
\nconcerned about creating panic in their society, so sometimes the
\ninformation about an episode or a bird flu outbreak would take
\nsome time to reach other parts of the country," Ong said.<\/p>\n
"We have to insist on quick information and as much details as
\npossible, so that we can actually identify the kind of problems
\nthat cause such an outbreak," he said.<\/p>\n
Some governments' lack of funds to compensate poultry farmers
\nfor their losses in case of an outbreak also hinders the fight
\nagainst bird flu, Ong said.<\/p>\n
Farmers whose livelihoods depend on poultry are often very
\nreluctant to report bird flu to the authorities, he said. They
\noften hide sick chickens or slaughter them without proper
\nprotection, helping the virus spread.<\/p>\n
"That causes a lot of inconsistencies in our management of the
\nproblem," he said. "What we are hoping for is that we work with
\ntransparency with all the experts and as soon as there is a
\nproblem, we try to contain it in the particular location."<\/p>\n
He said ASEAN, which has pledged US$2 million to establish an
\nanimal health trust fund, is trying to rally for more funds to
\nhelp member countries.<\/p>\n
ASEAN comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the
\nPhilippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and
\nMyanmar.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lack-of-transparency-hamper-bird-flu-fight-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}