Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked border provinces to tighten their management to prevent the illegal import of poultry and poultry products in the face of dangers from avian influenza.

In an official dispatch sent by the Government Office on May 2, Nhan requested that provincial Party Committees and People’s Committees pay more attention to the popularisation of knowledge and laws to increase people’s awareness of and responsibility for the community’s health and the country’s development.

Authorised forces are urged to strengthen coordination, regularly inspect border gates, border-cross paths, wholesale markets and places where poultry and poultry products are found, and resolutely crack down on those who trade smuggled fowl.

The Deputy PM also asked the Border Guard High Command to promptly map out an action plan to implement assigned tasks based on the Prime Minister’s orders, as well as coordinate with local authorities to deal with any outbreak of bird flu.

To prevent and minimise the effects of all avian influenza strains, especially A-H7N9, the northern province of Quang Ninh has decided to halt the import and trade of poultry and poultry products through Vietnam-China border gates-VNA