Asian nations to boost flu drug stockpiles
Posted: 09 May 2009 0443 hrs

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BANGKOK: Asian nations agreed on Friday to increase their stockpiles of medicines against H1N1 flu and urged global health chiefs to ensure fair distribution in case of a pandemic.

Although the region has been relatively unscathed by the influenza A(H1N1) virus so far, health ministers holding a special meeting in Bangkok about the disease said they had to coordinate their response.

"We cannot afford to let our guards down. A pandemic remains a formidable challenge to our region," said Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The ministers from China, Japan, South Korea and the 10-member ASEAN said in a statement that stockpiling was necessary as 90 percent of world vaccine production is in Europe and the United States.

"Despite the fact that other regions have begun to acquire the technology to produce influenza vaccine, access to effective pandemic vaccines is a major problem in this region," the statement said.

They urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) to help ensure "fair and equitable access" to flu drugs.

Surin said that the region currently had one million courses of flu anti-virals, half of them distributed around member nations and the rest stored in Singapore.

Japan had donated half of those anti-viral courses, as well as 750,000 sets of protective gear, he said.

But the statement said the 13 countries would "assess the potential need and increase stockpiling of essential medicines, medical supplies and personal protective equipment to the level necessary for effective responses."

The Asian countries, home to about a third of the world's population of six billion people, would also set up a system for "sharing essential supplies among national stockpiles in case of emergency need."

They also agreed to finalise a border control strategy and discuss possible exit screening for people leaving those areas where the virus is prevalent.

But the ministers urged against any curbs on travel in the fight against H1N1 flu.

"Travel restrictions would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive... and pose major negative impacts on the current global economic downturn."

The WHO says 2,371 people have been confirmed with influenza A(H1N1) worldwide, with 44 having died.

Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's number two, addressed the conference on Thursday and said later that a third of the global population could be infected, based on past pandemics.

But now "we live in a different world," Fukuda stressed.

Earlier on Friday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva urged Asia to cooperate in the face of the virus, adding the disease had already "worsened the financial crisis" in the region.

"No single country is able to control and cope with the threat alone. Rather, intensive international cooperation is required," Abhisit said.

Security was heavy around the Bangkok hotel where the meeting took place, with authorities hoping to avoid a repeat of last month's fiasco when anti-government protesters forced the cancellation of a key regional summit.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. - AFP/de