The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at the inaugural of a 4- day international workshop here on Monday underscored the need for preparing an emergency response plan to stamp out the pandemic influenza both from birds and human beings.

The global spread of H5N1 virus poses a grave health security threat to Bangladesh since the fear of possible mutating the virus on its own or re-assort with a human influenza strain to acquire the capacity to infect human beings, they said.

They were speaking at the workshop on 'CDC/WHO RRT Pandemic Influenza' being held to prepare recommendations based on World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols on how to mitigate spread of H5N1 virus and epidemic in poultry birds and to minimise the risk of human pandemic influenza.

Centre for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) and Armed Forces Division (AFD) and Armed Forces Medical Institute (AFMI) jointly organised the workshop at a city hotel.

AFMI principal Major General Muhammed Maswood inaugurated the workshop while director of medical services (Army) Brigadier General Md Zillur Rahman gave the opening remarks.

It was revealed in the workshop that in the last few month avian influenza has rapidly spread westwards from China to Central Asia, Turkey, Eastern Europe and Greece. Migratory birds are considered to be one of the major biological vectors by which the disease travels across and between continents.

About 244 species of migratory birds use to visit Bangladesh during the winter season, of which approximately 21 species may carry the H5N1 virus, it was said.

Speaking on the occasion Major General Muhammed Maswood underscored the need for taking coordinated efforts of the government, the NGOs and the development partners to help get rid of possible spread of the virus.

About 50 participants from India, Nepal, Thailand and host Bangladesh are participating in the workshop.