Released on 29 June 2006

Australian Minister for Health and Ageing to visit Vietnam

HANOI- The Australian Minister for Health and Ageing, The Honorable Tony Abbott MP, will lead an Australian delegation to Hanoi on 29 June. The purpose of the visit is to discuss avian influenza prevention, preparedness and response with Vietnamese counterparts.

On Friday 30 June, Mr Abbott will meet H.E. Madam Tran Thi Trung Chien, Minister for Health, and H.E. Mr. Cao Duc Phat, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, to exchange information and share Australia’s pandemic preparedness experiences.

Mr Abbott will be accompanied by Ms Jane Halton, Secretary, Department of Health and two other senior officials. The delegation has also visited Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. Australia is working vigorously through regional and global mechanisms to combat avian influenza.

During the visit Mr Abbott will also visit the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology and Hoc Mai house, an Australian - Vietnamese project at Viet Duc Hospital.

Hoc Mai (the Australia Vietnam Medical Foundation) is a not-for-profit organisation that fosters medical education between Australia and Vietnam. The foundation helped build a shelter for the families of patients at Viet Duc Hospital in 2005 and provides regular scholarships and exchange programs for doctors of Vietnam and Australia.

Mr Abbott and the delegation will depart Hanoi on the evening of Friday 30 June.

For further information please contact:

Nguyen Thi Thanh An, Public Affairs and Cultural Relations Manager
Tel. 04-8317755 Ext. 302 or Mobile: 0903 423 440

Email: [email protected]