President urges Ukrainian scientists to focus efforts on finding bird flu vaccine

(AP) Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko called on the country's scientists and laboratories Saturday to turn their attention to bird flu in the hope of finding a vaccine.

A massive outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu hit Ukraine in December, and officials in this nation of 47 million are worried the virus will spread this spring with migratory birds. The H5N1 strain has killed humans in eastern Asia, Iraq and Turkey in the current outbreak since 2003, but no human cases have been recorded in Ukraine.

"We must unite to fight this disease," Yushchenko said in his weekly radio address. "We must acknowledge the seriousness of this challenge - not speculate about it, but mobilize all of our efforts to fight this danger."

Ukraine has a highly educated work force and laboratories that conducted research into some of the world's most dangerous diseases during the Cold War. At the Kyiv Central Sanitary and Laboratory Station, scientists maintain a huge pathogen collection of diseases ranging from cholera to typhoid, while an Odessa laboratory has conducted research into preventing plagues. "We must support our science sector, which still has the potential for new discoveries," Yushchenko said, adding that some "were famous worldwide in their day." He also appealed to businesses, particularly those dealing with the poultry industry, to fund research. Yushchenko said he would ask parliament to endorse a new program aimed at supporting the production in Ukraine of vaccines against infectious diseases. The United Nations' top coordinator for fighting the disease, David Nabarro, visited Ukraine last week to help advise the nation in its fight against the spread of bird flu. Concerns are high worldwide that the virus could mutate into a form that can be transmitted between humans.

Yushchenko said that Ukraine's other top priorities would be to boost its efforts to monitor outbreaks by upgrading laboratory equipment, and to provide as much help as possible to people who suffer economic losses because of bird flu. Many Ukrainians rely on domestic fowl for income, making orders to cull potentially devastating. Yushchenko also promised to ensure that Ukrainians have a better idea of what is happening.

"Every citizen has a right to know the situation in the country and in their region as regards bird flu," he said.

Feb 20 2006