KAMPALA, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Great Lakes states have agreed to set up regional monitoring networks and conduct joint mobilization campaigns against epidemics in the region, according to a report from the United Nations Information on Friday.

    The agreement was reached at a four-day workshop in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi, which was ended on Thursday.

    Health officials from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, said they had agreed to strengthen cooperation in epidemic prevention and response on their common borders.

    Malaria, cholera, meningitis, dysentery and, lately, avian influenza were some of the epidemics the experts discussed. They cited the need to exchange information on epidemic outbreaks in the region and said each country would set up a committee comprising health specialists for this purpose.

    The participants also agreed to organize joint vaccination campaigns in cases where an epidemic was reported in more than one country.

    Following the recent outbreak of avian influenza in Nigeria, the participants said they would hold joint epidemic investigations and surveillance to prevent the disease from their countries.

    The Great Lakes Region is vulnerable to the bird flu epidemic, as migrating birds come to the region to escape winter in other areas. Enditem