The three-day workshop was co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FAO, the USDA and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Official sources report that attendees heard bird flu-related reports by international experts, including a model outlining the risk and progress of the virus, epidemiology research on viruses on different kinds of poultry, and campaigns to raise public awareness about the disease and its prevention. The deputy minister called for incorporating avian flu prevention and control programmes and activities while focusing on restructuring the poultry industry.

Addressing the workshop, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Bui Ba Bong said bird flu is temporarily under control in Vietnam but there is a risk the situation could change and become complicated.

He called for the incorporation of bird flu prevention and control programmes and activities while focusing on restructuring the poultry industry and accelerating research and supervision on the epidemic.

First appearing in Vietnam in 2003, bird flu has caused great losses to almost all provinces and cities nationwide. However, since March 2008, no human bird flu case has been discovered in the country and the rate of poultry infected with the disease has dropped.