The northernmost province of Ha Giang has adopted synchronous measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza A/H7N9, which is troubling neighbouring China.

According to Tran Duc Quy, Director of the provincial Health Department, all hospitals at provincial and district levels have devised on-site preventive plans.

Apart from preparations in medicine, human resources and health equipment, the hospitals have also increased supervision over patients with severe respiratory disease and pneumonia, especially those returning from disease hotbeds.

A special team has been established in each locality to work around the clock, Quy said, noting that medical quarantine at border gates has also received closer watch.

Provincial Departments of Industry and Trade, and Agriculture and Rural Development have partnered with the Customs Department, Police and the Border Guard Command to increase market management in order to prevent illegal cross-border poultry imports.

People’s Committees at municipal and district levels have instructed towns and communes to coordinate with organisations to enhance information work along with encouraging people to detect and report cases of poultry smuggling to relevant agencies.

Sharing a 274km border with China, the mountainous province is at high risk of H7N9 bird flu. Additionally, local people’s awareness of avian influenza remains limited, especially at border communes.

Therefore, it is necessary for Ha Giang to mobilise its entire political system in the fight against the disease.

The northern mountainous province of Lang Son has also instructed departments, branches, agencies and localities to intensify preventive measures against avian influenza and other infectious diseases.

To Hung Khoa, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the province has increased the capacity of the supervisory system, especially at border gates.

Lang Son has also poured more investment into health facilities across the province, ensuring finance, medicine, chemicals and equipment when needed, he said.

Apart from awareness-raising work, the province has also given more importance to medical quarantine at border gates, hindering the penetration of dangerous diseases.

Facing an outbreak of influenza A/H5N1, the southern province of Tay Ninh has promptly sprayed disinfectants, vaccinated and isolated sick poultry along with increasing quarantine for imported poultry products.

The locality has also culled poultry products of unknown origins illegally imported through border gates.
Local people have been encouraged to avoid any contact with dead fowls and report mass deaths of poultry to relevant units as soon as possible.

Nguyen Van May, head of the Tay Ninh animal health branch, said by February 12, the province detected four H5N1 hotbeds in Ben Cau and Chau Thanh districts.-VNA