BANGKOK : The 10-nation ASEAN has picked Singapore to be the region's centre for stockpiling the antiviral drug oseltamivir as part of preparations for a possible human influenza pandemic.

Dr Kamnuan Ungchusak, director of the Thailand's Epidemiology Bureau, told Bangkok Post that the decision was made by a working group of ASEAN officials last month and further discussion would be held during meetings on bird flu in Singapore and the Philippines next month.

He said Singapore was considered the most appropriate location for the central bank for the drug because the H5N1 strain of bird flu had not been found there and ASEAN members were also confident the country would not have any ulterior motive for stockpiling the antiviral medicine.

In 2005, ASEAN agreed in principle to set up a central bank for stockpiling antiviral drugs to treat bird flu, as a pre-emptive measure for a possible disease outbreak and human influenza pandemic.

Singapore was also chosen over Thailand which had offered to set up a regional bird flu control centre to improve surveillance and measures to contain the disease.

The World Health Organisation said that there had been 279 cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus in 12 countries since 2003, with 169 deaths, including 17 in Thailand.

Dr Kamnuan said Japan last year offered to contribute one million doses of oseltamivir for stockpiling in the region and also gave US$135 million for ASEAN to develop a network of medication and surveillance systems to fight the deadly virus. - CNA/ch