EAS Leaders To Pledge To Prevent Avian Flu Pandemic
By Mikhail Raj Abdullah
Bernama, 13 Dec 2005

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Concerned over the spread of the deadly avian flu virus, leaders of the 16 countries attending the inaugural East Asia Summit here on Wednesday are likely to pledge to join forces and possibly prevent the occurrence of a regional or, possibly, global pandemic.

To this end, they would take steps to enhance capacity-building in coping with a pandemic avian influenza, including establishing information-sharing protocols among countries and multilateral organisations.

Asean diplomats preparing for the EAS tomorrow said the move would be aimed at ensuring effective, timely and meaningful communication before or during a pandemic of the avian influenza, which so far has killed more than 70 people in Asia.

Their concern and pledge to do something about the disease were expected to be contained in a declaration to be issued following the summit relating to the prevention, control and response to the disease.

The EAS would be attended by the 10 Asean states, China, Japan and South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Countries affected by avian flu include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia.

The latter three have announced control of their poultry outbreaks and are now considered free of the disease while in the other countries outbreaks are continuing with varying degrees of severity.

India was also not spared the disease while Russia, whose president Vladimir Putin would address the EAS leaders before their retreat, reported its first outbreak in July this year.

The leaders are also expected to establish national and regional avian flu pandemic preparedness strategies and clearly defined work plans and resource requirements.

However, the declaration is expected to highlight that strong political will was crucial to carry out these strategies.

They would also agree to set up a network of stockpiles of antiviral drugs with the technical support of the World Health Organisation to effectively prevent a pandemic.-- BERNAMA