Bird Flu Pandemic High on World Health Assembly Agenda

The 192-nation World Health Assembly will consider ways to speed up efforts to contain a potential pandemic resulting from bird flu. More than 100 health ministers are attending the World Health Organization's annual conference to lay out the public health agenda for the group's work in the coming year.

The World Health Assembly took a long time to get down to business following the untimely death of World Health Organization's Director-General Lee Jong-wook.

WHO Executive Director Bill Keane read a few prepared remarks from a more comprehensive speech that was to be given by Dr. Lee.

The speech outlines important public health initiatives, one of the most important being avian influenza. The World Health Organization is calling on countries to speed up measures to control and contain a possible bird flu pandemic that could kill millions of people.

It warns countries that have not been hit by bird flu against complacency. Dr. Lee wrote they should use the time to prepare and protect themselves against the killer disease.

Source: VOA News: Bird Flu Pandemic High on World Health Assembly Agenda

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