The ASEAN Foundation, National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Thailand), Information Technology Research Institute (Lao PDR), and NetNam Corporation (Vietnam) collaborated to hold the First Summit on Information and Communication Technology-Enabled Resources for the Control of Avian Influenza on 7-9 June 2010 in Bali, Indonesia. Attended by over forty delegates from ASEAN countries, the conference was formally opened by Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr. Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, Prof. Tran Ba Thai, Director of NetNam Corporation of Vietnam, and Mr. Phonpasit Phissamay, Director-General of the Information Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Lao PDR.

In his remarks, Dr. Uriarte highlighted how the cooperation had been able to develop and utilize technology-enabled resources to address avian influenza in Vietnam and Laos and stated that these enabling technologies should be replicated and shared with other ASEAN countries. Dr. Uriarte also mentioned that, in line with the mandate of the ASEAN Foundation to develop human resources and enhance networking among various stakeholders, the technologies should be applied to other emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and natural disaster management in the region.

The 3-day meeting provided a platform to share best practices and lessons learned in the use and application of ICT and related communications technologies in the surveillance, monitoring and management of Avian Influenza (AI) and other related environmental health and emerging infectious diseases. A demonstration of the enabling technologies such as WIMAX (Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access), web-based geographic information systems (GIS) and mobile phone-based AI reporting systems was made during the conference. The participants discussed the usefulness and effectiveness of these enabling technologies and how these can be transferred or replicated in other ASEAN countries.

The meeting was attended by delegates from the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam; Indonesian Ministries of Agriculture and Health; Lao PDR’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Health; National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC) of Thailand; Information Center of Natural Resource and Environment (CIREN) - Vietnam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Vietnam National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE); Department of Animal Health-Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture; the ASEAN-ADB HPAI Project; Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Indonesia; the Asian Institute of Technology-Indonesia; and the Tim Penanggulangan Flu Burung (TPFB) Muhammadiyah, Indonesia.  (CISCAI-PCU)

INCITE-AI Summit Documents can be downloaded from this LINK.

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