(VOV) - The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will work with Ho Chi Minh City’s Pasteur Institute to establish an emergency centre tailored to curtailing the spread of potential epidemics. US Secretary of Health and Human Service Kathleen Sebelius announced the cooperation during a meeting with Ho Chi Minh City leaders on Tuesday. Sebelius is confident the bilateral facility will improve Vietnam’s capacity for dealing with infectious diseases.

City mayor Le Hoang Quan noted HCM City, the country’s largest economic hub, has worked with many US organizations to carry out cooperation progrmames in various areas, including HIV/AIDS prevention and control. He expressed hope the US will provide continued healthcare support to the city, especially in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He said he believes that both countries’ hospitals will expand scientific research collaboration and exchange.