The Prime Minister has requested relevant ministries and agencies to strengthen the inspection and control of poultry import to Vietnam to prevent bird flu.

The PM’s telegramme dated July 31 said that bird flu pandemic in Vietnam and the world has seen complicated developments.

In Vietnam , small-scale outbreaks have occurred in the provinces of Quang Binh, Nghe An, Hai Duong, Bac Ninh and Quang Ninh and Hai Phong city since the beginning of the year.

To control disease transmission via illegal poultry import, the PM asked local authorities to raise people’s awareness on the danger of bird flu and take drastic measures to prevent it.

He also requested border provinces to encourage local people not to take part in the transport and trade of unidentified and unquarantined poultry.

Other ministries, including the ministries of Industry and Trade, Defence, Finance, Public Security, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Information and Communications are asked to work together to deal with illegal import of poultry, strengthen inspection, popularise measures to prevent H5N1 human influenza and information relating to the fight against bird flu./.