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Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 05.53 GMT |
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SL has best
preparedness programs against pandemic
influenza – US Ambassador |
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‘Sri Lanka has long had one of the best preparedness programs in place to counter pandemic influenza. I’m pleased the CDC chose Sri Lanka to participate in our Global Strategy and I’m equally pleased that the CDC team was impressed by what they saw – and heard – while in Sri Lanka,’ stated the US Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis.
Ambassador Butenis made this observation when she, along with representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Influenza Division, recently met the officials of the Ministry of Health to discuss a partnership to enhance Sri Lanka’s ability to monitor and track seasonal influenza, and prepare for, detect and respond to an influenza pandemic if it should occur.
This partnership will take place through the CDC, a press release from the US Embassy reported.
Under the program, CDC will provide over Rs 34 million ($300,000) a year for up to four years to support surveillance, laboratory capacity and training.
The CDC chose to fund Sri Lanka along with six other countries new to the program, in addition to 33 countries already receiving funding for similar activities.
The CDC support will augment and expand several initiatives at the Ministry of Health including the improvement of laboratory diagnostic capacity; the linkage of the Medical Research Institute with the Epidemiology Unit and regional influenza monitoring sites; and the training of regional epidemiologists, hospital infection control nursing officers, and laboratory technicians on influenza laboratory and epidemiological surveillance.
An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population. The most recent influenza pandemic, caused by the pandemic H1N1 virus, occurred over the course of the past year.
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