Institutional responses to avian influenza in Thailand: Control of outbreaks in poultry and preparedness in the case of human-to-human transmission

Thailand faced an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry and in humans in early 2004. By the end of the same year, more than 62 million birds had died or been culled and 17 human cases, with 12 dead, had been detected. Among the human cases, most people were infected via direct contact with ill or deceased poultry, or when living in households with abnormal poultry deaths. One family cluster with probable human-to-human transmission was identified in September 2004. Recognizing the threat of avian and pandemic influenza, the Thai Government endorsed a three-year national strategic plan for 2005-7 with a total budget of 120 million US dollars. In accordance with the national strategic plan, the institutional response was implemented to improve the bio-security of poultry raising, including active surveillance and rapid control of animal and human outbreaks via grassroots participation. The country also started its minimum stockpiling for essential drugs and supplies, with a surge capacity to care for patients if a pandemic should occur.