ECTAD History and AcknowlegementFAO was established in Viet Nam in 1978. However following the onset of the disease, the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases Operations (ECTAD) was set up using FAO’s own finances to start the programme. FAO works regionally and nationally to combat avian influenza in close collaboration with governments, national and international partners, bringing together technical expertise in socioeconomics, disease control, farming systems, agricultural and pro-poor policy, communications and extension. FAO acknowledges the Government of Viet Nam’s strong commitment to fight HPAI and other emerging infectious diseases such as foot and mouth disease and classical swine fever and wishes to express its gratitude for the continued support and kind cooperation.
FAO wishes to thank the following donors for their generous financial contribution in supporting the Avian Influenza Programme in Viet Nam including the World Bank, the Government of Ireland and Japan, the Joint Government-United Nations Programme to Fight HPAI formed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Government of Australia (AusAID), Canada (CIDA), Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden (SIDA) and Switzerland (SDC). Special acknowledgement goes to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their generous and continuous support of more than USD25 million.
In addition, to specific donor funded projects, the World Bank and the Government selected FAO to provide technical leadership and guidance to the Viet Nam Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness Project (VAHIP) through the provision of technical advisers and specific expert consultancy services. The country team also receives support from the FAO regional and headquarters pool of technical and operational resources, when required.
FAO has succeeded in broadening partnerships and alliances in supporting the Government of Viet Nam to create synergies and complementarities among key stakeholders through a programmatic approach to HPAI disease control. FAO is especially grateful to the Department of Animal Health (DAH), Department of Livestock Production (DLP) and International Cooperation Department (ICD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) for their invaluable effort to combat HPAI in close collaboration with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization (WHO), national and international agencies and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), laboratories, universities and other research institutes. Chronology of diseaseUN-Government of Vietnam Joint Programme: FAO Activity Brief 2007 -2009Brochure: Gathering Evidence for a Transitional Strategy (GETS) for HPAI H5N1 Vaccination in Viet NamFAO Vietnam : The fight against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and other Emerging Infectious Diseases 2009 Related Links .