Cambodia Health Ministry begins H5N1 bird flu education campaign ahead of upcoming holiday
With the Pchum Ben holiday in Cambodia right around the corner, the Cambodia Health Ministry has begun an educational ad campaign in an effort to stop the spread of H5N1 avian influenza, according to a Phnom Penh Post report Tuesday.
Image/CIA
The report notes that H5N1 often peaks in the country around the Pchum Ben and New Years holidays – when families prepare livestock for meals and offerings.
Pchum Ben, also known as Ancestors’ Day, will be celebrated from Oct. 3 to 5 this year.
The H5N1 bird flu awareness messages will be aired over the radio this weekend urging the public to avoid dead or sick poultry and ensure the birds are properly cooked.
“We are using radio because we hope that it will educate many [including] those living in distant areas. We have also started an education campaign to raise awareness in several communes and Takeo and Kampot province,” Ly Sovann, deputy director of the communicable disease control department said.
Cambodia is reporting it’s worst outbreak of the lethal virus in humans since first seen in 2004. To date, there has been 20 cases confirmed in humans in 2013, with 11 resulting in death.
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[…] A nationwide public health education campaign using radio has been launched in early October. Also, public health education campaigns are being conducted in O-Raing village in Kampong Thom using information, education and communications materials to inform families on how to protect themselves from contracting avian influenza. The government’s message is – wash hands often with soap and water, before eating and after coming into contact with poultry; keep children away from poultry; keep poultry away from living areas; do not eat dead or sick poultry; and all poultry eaten should be well cooked. […]
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