Thailand, Lao PDR to jointly fight contagious diseases

KHON KAEN, February 9 (TNA) - A memorandum of understandng (MOU) on Thai-Lao cooperation against contagious diseases was signed at a meeting in Thailand on Thursday, attended by some 120 public health delegates of both neighboring countries. Under the new agreement, Thai Disease Control Department Deputy Director-General Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said, Thailand and Lao PDR will jointly scale up prevention and control effortsagainst the 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 acknowledged 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. The Thai disease control department deputy chief told journalists that five disease monitoring centers will be set up at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, the Hai Sok Temple and the Ta Na Lang Railway Station in Lao PDR, 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. (TNA)