Contingency Plan Being Prepared In Case Bird Flu Becomes An Epidemic

PUTRAJAYA, March 23 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and the Ministry of Health have decided to set up a Technical Sub-Committee to study and prepare an action plan in case the H5N1 virus or bird flu deteriorates into an epidemic.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the setting up of the sub-committee was proposed at the Joint-Committee meeting of the two ministries concerned to tackle the bird flu, today.
He said the sub-committee would endeavour to create a contingency action plan to face the situation if the H5N1 virus, which was the source of the bird flu, were to spread to more places in the country and resulting in an outbreak.
"The plan would encompass programmes and follow-up actions which would be implemented by both ministries to face the situation in case of an epidemic," he said.
He said this at a press conference after chairing a meeting of the Joint-Committee which was also attended by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, as co-chairman of the committee.
Muhyiddin said the plan also outlined measures which were more suitable and expeditious which were deemed necessary when carrying out clinical tests on samples of the virus in the event that there were many cases all over the place.
"We cannot predict (if) the disease will deteriorate into an epidemic. (That's the reason) we want to enhance all efforts in facing any eventuality in the future," he said.
He said the plan on follow-up actions would also touch on the problems of staff mobilisation, the need for equipment and other logistics as well as medical specialists and ways of overcoming them.
Muhyiddin said the Technical Sub-Committee would be given less than two weeks to come up with the preparatory action plan.