Avian Influenza and the Pandemic Threat

Source: ILO | Photo: lecercle
13 August 2008, Bangkok -- Training to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) protect their workers and businesses from future Pandemic Human Influenza is being organized in Thailand .

This first pilot workshop is part of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Avian Influenza and the Workplace project. It is being organized by the ILO and Thailand ’s Ministry of Labour. 35 SME’s are expected to attend the day-long event on Thursday 14th August, at the Ladkrabang Industrial Estate.

The course has been designed for businesses with fewer than 250 employees, covering all economic sectors – not just food and poultry products. Experts will discuss the potential impact on business of Pandemic Human Influenza, present some ‘key concepts’ of pandemic preparedness and offer guidance for drawing up business contingency and continuity plans.

The ILO Avian Influenza and the Workplace project has two goals; firstly to promote best workplace practices in the poultry industry (so limiting the infection and effects of avian influenza) and encourage behaviour change by raising awareness of the issues, and secondly to improve SME preparedness and build up their capacity to respond. This includes related training.

“This project is the first of its kind to tackle pandemic prevention and workplace preparedness by ensuring that the social partners – government, workers’ and employers’ organizations” – are involved,” said Tsuyoshi Kwakami, the ILO’s Occupational Safety and Health Specialist in Bangkok . “The workshop will help SME’s prepare for any future Pandemic Human Influenza, protect their employees and ensure their businesses can continue”.

The project targets an estimated 150,000 poultry workers in Thailand , in both small and large-scale poultry-processing operations. Thailand was chosen as a pilot country for the project because of the scale and importance of its commercial poultry sector and the number of workers involved. If the year-long project is successful and extra funding is found it will be replicated in Indonesia and other countries in Asia .

The workshop will be conducted mostly in Thai. Attendance is free for SME’s and the media are welcome as observers.

For more information please contact:

Duanne Punpiputt
National Project Coordinator, ILO Avian Influenza & the Workplace project
Bangkok
Tel: +662 288-1564

Dr. Tsuyoshi Kawakami
Senior Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health
ILO Subregional Office for East Asia
Tel. (66-2) 288 1743 or (66-89) 939 6891