BANGKOK, Oct 17 — Senior officials of the US embassy in Thailand on Friday met with Deputy Public Health Minister Dr Somsak Chunharas on public health cooperation between the US and Thailand and expressed appreciation to the kingdom on its preparations to respond to the Ebola epidemic.
Dr Somsak said after a meeting with senior US embassy officers including Deputy Chief of Mission Patrick Murphy, First Secretary of the Economic Section for Health issue Eric Frater and Mike Burkly, director of Public Health Office, USAID, that he had held talks with them on public health cooperation between the two countries.
According to Dr Somsak, Mr Murphy expressed appreciation on preparations made by Thailand on measures to control Ebola in which Thai public health minister had attended a meeting on Global Health Security at the White House last month.
He said the senior US embassy officers also admired Thailand on its development in developing public health activities and for its health support given to countries in the region.
To date, the UN World Health Organisation has announced that 8,997 patients or suspected patients suffered from the virus in seven countries of which 4,493 victims died.
On the part of Thailand, health authorities monitor on three groups of people closely including those who have returned from virus stricken countries at Thai airports and ports, patients at public and private hospitals; and at communities where many foreigners stay.
So far, no Ebola victims have been found in Thailand.
