Thailand, Laos To Jointly Fight Contagious Diseases
February 09, 2012

KHON KAEN (Thailand), Feb 9 (Bernama) -- A memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Thai-Lao cooperation against contagious diseases was signed at a meeting in Thailand on Thursday, attended by some 120 public health delegates from the neighbouring countries, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Under the new agreement, Thai Disease Control Department Deputy Director-General Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said that Thailand and Laos will jointly scale up prevention and control efforts against contagious diseases, including polio, measles, pneumonia, influenzas, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), diarrhea, cholera, sexual transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis, dengue fever and malaria, through their cross-border city-city matching network.

Dr Suwanchai said that the Thai-Lao city pairs against the contagious diseases include Thailand's northeastern Nong khai Province and Vientiane, Laos' capital; Thailand's northeastern Bueng Kan and Laos' Bolikhamsai Provinces, and Thailand's northeastern Loei and Laos' Chaiyaburi Provinces.

Thai disease control department deputy chief told journalists that five disease monitoring centres would be set up at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, the Hai Sok Temple and the Ta Na Lang Railway Station in Laos, as well as in Bueng Kan and Loei in Thailand.

The meeting, held in Thailand's northeastern Khon Kaen Province, also discussed various public health issues, as part of the two countries' preparations for the formation of the Asean Economic Community by 2015.

bernama.com