The workshop took place in Sihanoukville with support from the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries with the aim of bringing together researchers from various disciplines to share the results of their HPAI H5N1-related research in Cambodia.

It also aimed to facilitate dynamic exchange of views between researchers and decision makers on epidemiological, social and economic issues relevant to HPAI H5N1 in Cambodia.

It still aimed to identify and prioritize major knowledge gaps that research needs to fill and how to best address them in the near future and contribute to the development of a second generation of science-based HPAI H5N1 risk management strategies that carefully consider their impacts on the livelihoods of the poor.

Compared to neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia was only mildly affected by HPAI. Nevertheless, Cambodia's animal and public health authorities heavily engaged in HPAI H5N1 control and monitoring, and many of the implemented measures are still in place.

Alongside these control measures, a wide array of field and laboratory research was initiated in Cambodia, both by national and international agencies.

As much of this research is reaching completion or has been completed and as the HPAI H5N1 control paradigm is shifting from emergency reaction to longer term disease management, it is timely to collate, review and synthesize research carried out in Cambodiaon various aspects of HPAI to inform policymaking, investment and further research, the press release concluded.