Japan and Vietnam have signed an agreement on a technical co-operation project to improve the network of medical laboratories in (Source: suckhoedoisong.vn)HCM City(VNA) – and Vietnam have signed an agreement on a technical
cooperation project to improve the network of medical laboratories in Vietnam.
The
agreement was signed on March 22 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(), National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and Pasteur Institute in
HCM City.
Under
the five-year project, a level-3 (highest level) biosafety laboratory will be
established at the Pasteur Institute to examine and manage highly hazardous
infectious pathogens.
To
strengthen capacity in prioritising infectious diseases, the project aims to
improve laboratory diagnosis and biosafety in provincial centres for preventive
medicine, which are supervised by the institutes.
The
project will also enhance training for centres by providing necessary equipment
and teaching materials.
Fujita
Yasuo, Chief Representative of JICA Office in Vietnam, said: “Last February, the
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology was able to diagnose the Ebola
virus, making the institute one of the leading examination and research
institutes in Southeast Asia.”
“Thanks
to the previous project, we believe that through the third phase of the
project, the two institutes will be able to diagnose highly hazardous
infectious pathogens more rapidly and accurately. The ability to cope with
infectious diseases of Vietnam and neighboring countries will increase,” he
added.
Dang
Duc Anh, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said:
“Thanks to these standardised laboratories, we are able to diagnose highly
contagious diseases, including influenza A H5N1 and Ebola virus.”
“If
the biosafety laboratory is established at the Pasteur Institute, the country
would be able to quickly deal with epidemics that are likely to return as major
outbreaks,” Anh said. -VNA
Source: VietnamPlus
