FAO to conduct bird flu communication workshop in Cambodia

[November 22, 2008]

PHNOM PENH, Nov 22, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
The Cambodian Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in collaboration with
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
will organize an Avian Influenza Emergency Risk Communication
Workshop from Nov. 24 to 25, said a government press release here
on Saturday.
"The two-day training will introduce the members of the Avian
Influenza Communication Task Force to steps necessary to plan and
develop a response so they can effectively communicate control
measures to contain an outbreak and prevent its further spread,"
it said.
Participants are provincial veterinarians, district
veterinarians, village chiefs and village animal health workers
from Pursat and Kampong Chhnang, two provinces which have not had
an outbreak of bird flu, and staff of the Ministry's Department of
Animal Health and Production.
These provinces will also be covered by the AI outbreak
simulation exercise to be conducted next week by the MAFF and FAO
to test the effectiveness of the Ministry's Guide for Avian
Influenza Outbreak Investigation and Emergency Response.
"The workshop will provide participants with practical
direction on how to effectively communicate correct information
and what to do during the pre-outbreak, outbreak and post-outbreak
periods. It is important to note that this training will only
address the communication aspect of a response to avian influenza,