The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held an event on Tuesday 19 January 2021 to review major achievements, lessons learnt from the second-five year phase of the Emerging Pandemic Threats program, or EPT-2 in Viet Nam and discuss how to sustain and expand these achievements in the coming phase.  

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and FAO Viet Nam have been working closely together since 1978. Since then, much has been achieved through this strategic partnership and cooperation. FAO Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) has been supporting Vietnam to respond to highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks since 2004 and expanding to a broader scope of emerging infectious diseases, priority zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with financial support from the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threat (EPT) programme up to now.

“Through ECTAD, FAO has supported the Government and people of Vietnam for more than 16 years in our committed efforts to prepare and respond to emerging infectious diseases especially those posing threats to humans and the environment. We believe that healthier animals will make people especially farmers happier and keep Viet Nam safer”. Dr Pawin Padungtod, ECTAD Senior Technical Coordinator stated.

Of particular note, the project had an exhibition with publication, technology applications and videos featuring major achievements gained during the project period from 2015 to 2020. The presentations and exhibits explain how FAO, with financial support from USAID, collaborated with MARD to develop animal health and production capacities and tools for prevention, preparedness, early detection and response to zoonotic, emerging infectious diseases and AMR.

Dr Padungtod emphasized that although this is the conclusion of the EPT2 project, it is not the end of FAO, MARD and USAID collaboration. FAO is going to continue this collaboration to further reduce the risks and impacts of transboundary and emerging infectious diseases, AMR and bio-threats through an inclusive One Health approach in the coming years, contributing to Global Health Security and global diseases surveillance initiatives. 

The event had participation of more than 100 participants coming from the sectors of animal health, public health, wildlife management and conservation, donors and international organizations.