The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping upgrade laboratory capacity in Pakistan against bird flu. Referring to the US assistance in South Asia, official American sources made a mention of the May 20 announcement.
He added that the agency is providing the Pakistani National Reference Lab "with sophisticated equipment that will allow results from a sample test within six hours, in contrast to the current testing time of 24-72 hours."
Pakistan has had almost 30 outbreaks of the H5N1 strain on small-scale poultry farms, the sources stated. In addition to this equipment, USAID has provided 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment, and will be working further to strengthen the Pakistani national lab and strengthen the nation's ability to investigate and control communicable disease outbreaks.
The International Partnership for Avian and Pandemic Influenza was initiated by the United States in 2005 and now involves more than 90 nations working to control disease.
Meanwhile, US Under Secretary for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky has stated that framework for international action is "preparedness and communications, surveillance and detection, and response and containment." The United States has pledged $334 million to provide international assistance to contain and control avian influenza and prevent the emergence of pandemic flu.
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