Africa Risks Losing $495m If Bird Flu Hit

AFRICA stands to suffer total losses of up to US $495 million in the event of an outbreak of the avian influenza commonly referred to as bird flu.

And a report on the status of bird flu and its impact on Africa indicates that Africa still remains under serious threat. This was highlighted in a report to the African Union Ordinary Executive Council summit tabled before the continent's foreign affairs ministers which closed on Saturday ahead of the heads of state and government summit.

The report stated that Africa could lose about 15 per cent of its total poultry population with adverse economic repercussions on many poor households depending on poultry.

"Taking into consideration the next destinations of migratory birds, which is Africa, there is a strong belief that this continent is under serious threat," the report read in part.

The report also identified Africa as the least prepared continent in the event of epidemic and added that the major impact of the outbreak if it did occur would be on the livelihoods of the poor rural communities, particularly women, who depend on poultry for their subsistence.

The disease could easily affect, besides the wild birds, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowls, pigeon and ostriches. "This will cause severe economic hardships at rural level. The total losses from deaths or culling of poultry are expected to be 165 million heads (15 per cent of poultry population or about US $495 million," the report read.

The meeting heard that scientists who were investigating the problem stated that the influenza pandemic would happen although they could not state at what time.

They, however, observed that supplies of vaccines and flu antiviral drugs, which were the most important interventions in reducing illness and deaths, during the pandemic would be inadequate in all countries at the start of the pandemic and many months after. "On present trends, many developing countries including most of African countries will have no access to vaccines throughout the duration of a pandemic," the ministers heard.

According to African Union special panel that described the situation as serious, the World Health Organisation conservative estimate places the number of expected deaths resulting from avian flu from two million to 7.4 million expected in the event of an outbreak.

The risk was further increased in Africa as poultry production and marketing systems brought humans and birds in close contact. The continental body has since called on all member states to strengthen their capacities in the field of surveillance of animal diseases while African Union members had from last year put in place a plan of action in the event of a possible outbreak.

The report stated that avian flu was one of the most economically important diseases threatening the African continent today. "Apart from being transmissible to humans, the disease poses a serious threat to food and security and the livelihoods of the rural communities in the continent," read the reportks Losing $495m If Bird Flu Hits - Report

IT IS REPORTS LIKE THIS THAT MAKES ONE SIT UP TAKE NOTISE AND THEN BEGIN TI SCRATCTH THEIR HEADS....I,v always said I smell a rotten chicken..and it is not lookig to good..I look forward today to watching Oprah..

http://allafrica.com/stories/200601230693.html

that's nothing the usa iz losin more than that n 1 minute now...........bush doesn't care aslong az his family and freindz r ok........he won't end the war cuz right now sum of the soilders may have this and we don't even know................

Bush iz selfish and the biggest terroist there iz................