ID :
58445
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 20:47
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http://m.oananews.org//node/58445
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Thai PM: ASEAN swine flu response meeting set for Bangkok May 7-8
BANGKOK, April 30 (TNA) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said a special meeting of health ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will take place in Thailand on Thursday and Friday of next week, with the aim of finding measures to prevent and tackle the deadly swine flu virus.
The prime minister said the meeting was proposed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who believed that ASEAN should meet to discuss the swine flu problem that has hit many nations around the world.
The Cambodian leader also wanted to use the opportunity to express its unity in solving any problem the region is facing, regardless of the problem, Mr. Abhisit.
The meeting is also aimed at restoring confidence after the cancellation of the ASEAN summit with its dialogue partners in Thai seaside resort of Pattaya.
The ASEAN meeting with regional partners was forced to be postponed for safety reasons of country leaders and delegates after anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) invaded the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Resort, the meeting venue, on April 11.
Veerasak Footrakul, Permanent-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said the Philippines' Health Minister, as a chair of ASEAN health ministers, had confirmed his attendance. Regional health ministers would also propose the ASEAN stance on the swine flu outbreak to the annual international conference of the Global Health Council, scheduled for mid May in Generva, Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Thai Pubic Health Minister Wittaya Kaewparadai said on Thursday that, according to the swine flu screening results, five Thais who just returned from Mexico after their work contracts expired show no sign
of swine flu symptoms.
The Thai workers departed from Los Angeles in the United States and arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport Thursday morning.
The health officials would closely monitor the workers for another two weeks, but they are allowed to remain at their respective homes, according to the minister.
Regarding the warning issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan (BMA) Health Department that swine flu could appear in Thailand in the next 12 weeks, the minister said that is possible.
Authorities are monitoring the situation and preventive measures have been reinforced.
Mr. Wittaya added he also appreciates the idea of BMA to distribute hygiene masks to taxi drivers in the capital in an attempt to prevent a possible swine flu outbreak.
Mr. Wittaya said that the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) will produce one million pills of GPO-A-Flu, an anti-viral drug by next Tuesday.
GPO director Dr. Vithit Attavijjakul affirmed that the production of anti-swine flu pills will be done within four days because Thailand has sufficient raw materials in stocks from when the country faced an earlier bird flu outbreak.
Dr. Vithit said that altogether four million pills of GPO-A- Flu are ready for distribution in case swine flu cases are discovered in the kingdom. (TNA)
The prime minister said the meeting was proposed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who believed that ASEAN should meet to discuss the swine flu problem that has hit many nations around the world.
The Cambodian leader also wanted to use the opportunity to express its unity in solving any problem the region is facing, regardless of the problem, Mr. Abhisit.
The meeting is also aimed at restoring confidence after the cancellation of the ASEAN summit with its dialogue partners in Thai seaside resort of Pattaya.
The ASEAN meeting with regional partners was forced to be postponed for safety reasons of country leaders and delegates after anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) invaded the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Resort, the meeting venue, on April 11.
Veerasak Footrakul, Permanent-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said the Philippines' Health Minister, as a chair of ASEAN health ministers, had confirmed his attendance. Regional health ministers would also propose the ASEAN stance on the swine flu outbreak to the annual international conference of the Global Health Council, scheduled for mid May in Generva, Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Thai Pubic Health Minister Wittaya Kaewparadai said on Thursday that, according to the swine flu screening results, five Thais who just returned from Mexico after their work contracts expired show no sign
of swine flu symptoms.
The Thai workers departed from Los Angeles in the United States and arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport Thursday morning.
The health officials would closely monitor the workers for another two weeks, but they are allowed to remain at their respective homes, according to the minister.
Regarding the warning issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan (BMA) Health Department that swine flu could appear in Thailand in the next 12 weeks, the minister said that is possible.
Authorities are monitoring the situation and preventive measures have been reinforced.
Mr. Wittaya added he also appreciates the idea of BMA to distribute hygiene masks to taxi drivers in the capital in an attempt to prevent a possible swine flu outbreak.
Mr. Wittaya said that the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) will produce one million pills of GPO-A-Flu, an anti-viral drug by next Tuesday.
GPO director Dr. Vithit Attavijjakul affirmed that the production of anti-swine flu pills will be done within four days because Thailand has sufficient raw materials in stocks from when the country faced an earlier bird flu outbreak.
Dr. Vithit said that altogether four million pills of GPO-A- Flu are ready for distribution in case swine flu cases are discovered in the kingdom. (TNA)
