WHO Acknowledges Vietnam’s Proactive Ebola Preparedness Efforts

HANOI, May 23 (Bernama-VNA) -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has acknowledged the proactive efforts of Vietnam’s Health Ministry and the government’s urgent direction in strengthening response capacity to Ebola transmission, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

WHO on May 17 declared Ebola a public health emergency of international concern following an outbreak  caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Bundibugyo is a rare strain of the Ebola virus for which no licensed vaccine or treatment is currently available.

WHO has assessed the outbreak risk as very high at the national level in the two affected countries, high across Africa, and low globally, including in Vietnam. 

WHO Representative in Vietnam Angela Pratt said the outbreak does not constitute a pandemic emergency.

According to her, in recent days, Vietnam’s Health Ministry has intensified risk communication efforts to provide official information to the public about the disease situation and prevention and control measures.

The WHO Office in Vietnam is supporting the ministry by providing updated outbreak information and technical guidance on surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, clinical management, infection prevention and control, risk communication, travel and border control, and emergency response, it added.

The organisation is also assisting Vietnam in conducting a rapid risk assessment and organising additional training courses on disease surveillance, infection prevention and clinical management, Angela Pratt said, adding WHO is committed to working closely with Vietnam in these efforts.

According to WHO, 746 suspected cases and 176 suspected deaths had been recorded.

-- BERNAMA-VNA