Vietnamese and Cambodian public health and animal health officials today opened a two-day, USAID-funded tabletop simulation exercise of an avian influenza outbreak at the border between the two countries.

Hosted by the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, the workshop aims to strengthen surveillance and response procedures to the avian influenza A (H5N1) between Vietnam’s An Giang Province and Cambodia’s Takeo Province.

“USAID is pleased to support this practical and important workshop,” said USAID Office of Health Director Laurel Fain. “We hope that this exercise will teach us ways to strategically and practically prepare for and respond to diseases and threats of common concern.”

This year, two-thirds of the 29 globally reported human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have occurred in Cambodia, with Vietnam reporting two human cases; both countries continue to see poultry outbreaks of the virus.

With technical assistance from World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, participants are sharing experiences and lessons learned in the prevention and control of H5N1 in animals and humans. In particular, central and provincial level officials from Vietnam and Cambodia discussed roles in implementing response mechanisms in the event of a disease outbreak. Officials will also identify gaps and challenges in cross-border collaboration to prevent and control H5N1.

Since 2005, USAID has contributed more than $50 million in assistance and technical support to combat avian influenza and other emerging infectious diseases in Vietnam.