S'pore takes part in regional exercise on tackling bird flu outbreak
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 April 2007 2308 hrs

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MANILA : Singapore on Monday took part in a regional exercise to contain a mock bird flu outbreak in Cambodia.

It was the first day of the two-day Panstop 2007 exercise organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Manila.

It was all systems go as WHO officers liaised with officials in Phnom Penh to quickly contain the first signs of the mock bird flu outbreak in Cambodia.

In the scenario, the deadly H5N1 virus had mutated and was spreading easily between people with four out of five people infected already dead.

As investigations got underway, the scenario called for help from other Asian countries.

In the mock outbreak, at least 24,000 Tamiflu courses were required but WHO's Manila office could only send 3,000 courses.

To test the system, ASEAN's stockpile in Singapore would have to make up for the shortfal.

In addition, protective equipment such as goggles and masks had to be rushed to Cambodia from a Japan-donated stockpile in Singapore.

Paul Cox, Exercise Director of Panstop 2007 said, "As the exercise unfolds, things will get a little bit complicated and a little bit difficult. So at this point, it is going very well actually."

"ST Logistics was basically making preparations to send a large portion of the ASEAN stockpile to the outbreak area and again, Singapore Logistics is one area we have a lot of confidence in."

No supplies are actually being moved during this exercise which has gone well so far, according to the WHO.

The WHO added that there is always room for improvement such as streamlining communication and standardising the way business is done during times of emergency. - CNA/ms