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USAID Creates a Regional Stockpile of Equipment in Thailand to Control Bird Flu

By Jennifer Nuzzo, March 28, 2008

On March 25, 2008, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that U.S. officials have created in Thailand’s eastern province of Chachoengsao, a “regional” stockpile of personal protective and diagnostic equipment protective materials for battling avian influenza.1 The stockpile, which will be known as the Regional Distribution Centre (RDC), was “designed to help Asian nations react rapidly to outbreaks of potentially deadly bird flu.” According to the article, the RDC warehouse is funded by USAID and “will initially stockpile 45,000 protective suits, 400 decontamination kits, 10 laboratory specimen kits and other equipment worth a total of 548,300 dollars.”1

An infectious disease advisor to USAID, John MacArthur, told AFP that avian influenza is still “a serious threat in the region around the Mekong river.”1 According to a report by CIDRAP News, the stockpile is located near “Bangkok's international airport, [and] could be airlifted to affected areas within 24 hours” of an outbreak being detected.2

References

1. US officials launch bird flu stockpile in Thailand. AFP. March 25, 2008. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080325/pl_afp/healthfluthailandus_080325131237. Accessed March 28, 2008.
2. US officials launch regional stockpile to fight H5N1 in Asia. CIDRAP News. March 25, 2008. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/mar2508usaid-jw.html. Accessed March 25, 2008.