Awarding Commemorative Medal to Dr. Philip Laird Gould

On July 11, 2024, at the headquarters of the Department of Animal Health (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Hanoi, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) awarded the Commemorative Medal “For the Cause of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam” to Dr. Philip Laird Gould, Director of Influenza Program, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Vietnam (US CDC in Vietnam).

Dr. Nguyen Van Long, Director General of the Department of Animal Health (DAH) said, since 2019, Dr. Philip Gould has made incredible accomplish via many meetings with leaders of MARD and MARD department/agencies, leader of DAH and officers, epidemiologists of DAH. In such meetings, Dr. Philip discussed with officials on strategic policies concerning the detection, response, prevention, control and characterization of avian influenza.

Dr. Philip has made a tremendous effort to support the cooperation between the Government of the United States (USG) and the Government of Vietnam (GVN) in general and the cooperation and coordination between GVN animal health and human health sectors in particular. Especially, he played a critical role in developing policies in active surveillance, emergency response in animal-human health interface diseases with One-health approach, e.g. avian influenza, swine influenza and rabies.

Dr. Philip actively supported and advocated for US CDC’s approvals of annual funding provide under two of the US CDC-supported Cooperative Agreements (CoAg) to DAH, one CoAg from 2017 to 2022 and the other CoAg from 2022 to 2027, with a total budget of approximately 5 million USD.

Dr. Philip supported DAH in its development of proposals to the Pandemic Fund in 2023 and 2024, worked with DAH and colleagues and MoH to update the priority zoonotic diseases list -an important metric for the Joint External Evaluation (planned for later 2024).

During his 5 years working in Vietnam, Dr. Philip has dedicated his time and effort to improve the capacity of MARD staff to carry out higher level epidemiologic and laboratory work, for which hundreds of staffs have been given trainings on various issues.

Dr. Philip word hard and has played a critical role in maintaining relation between MARD and agencies under MARD and US Government agencies (HHS) and international partners (FAO, WHO). Dr. Philip was very actice in conducting the risk assessment of numerous viruses, e.g. H5N1, H5N8, rabies.

In addition, Dr. Philip supports the improvement of laboratory facilities in Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center and Regional Veterinary Departments for influenza and rabies. He also facilitated the laboratory capacity assessment of the animal health sector in Vietnam, and making appropriate recommendations for capacity building accordingly.

Another major accomplishment that contributes to the successful relationship between the MARD and US CDC is a series of surveillance under the two cooperative agreements that Dr. Philip works on with DAH.

Since 2012, CDC has been supporting the DAH to carry out many activities related to surveillance on avian influenza, swine influenza and rabies, with the One-Health approach. The surveillance activities that Dr. Philip supported are under two Cooperative Agreements include surveillance in poultry, swine, and humans having frequent exposure to poultries, and rabies surveillance in humans and animals. The surveillance that CDC supports cover over 30 selected/cities in Vietnam.

Such work has resulted in an improves livestock system in Vietnam, producing high-quality products, meeting the demand in the local and international markets.

Dr. Philip also supports the development of electronic tools such as the VAHIS to report avian and swine influenza surveillance, and the One Health visualization tool to develop graphics to display the systems. systems involved in One Health activities.

Dr. Philip said, this is not really my award but represents the collaboration between the DAH and US CDC on the detection, response, control an prevention of zoonotic diseases, particularly avian influenza and rabies. This award honors everyone in US CDC and DAH who have contributed to these successed.

Arcodring to Dr. Philip Gould: "Over the last 5 years, I have seen the capacity of DAH, Regional Veterinary Sub-Departments and Provincial Veterinary Sub-Departments improve tremendously, enhancing the capacity to detect, respond and control zoonotic diseases in Vietnam.

“Live my US CDC predecessors such as well-remembered Dr. James Kile, Dr. Jeff McFarland and others in the long line of support for collaborative activities, I too must leave Vietnam. Vietnam is near and dear to my heart and I am proud to be part of the DAH family”, Dr. Philip Gould said.