Accra, 09/15 - A three-day workshop is underway in the Ghanaian Northern Region`s capital Tamale, for avian flu experts from seven West Africa countries on the impact of the disease on small-holder poultry production in the sub-region.

The experts from Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Senegal and Niger made up of veterinarians, directors of public health, representatives of NGOs and farmers would share experiences on avian influenza.

They would also discuss the disease`s epidemiology, prevention and control measures as well as its socio-economic and public health impact on Africa and the sub-region.

The Network for Smallholder Poultry Development, a Denmark NGO is sponsoring the workshop.

In an address to the opening Wednesday, Ghana`s Food and Agriculture Minister Ernest Akubuor Debrah, said the government and its development partners had spent about US$2 million dollars on the containment of the disease in the country.

He called for collaboration and harmonization of policies and programmes among institutions and countries in the sub-region to control the disease in a more cost-effective manner.

"The collaboration I am asking for can only work if we can be transparent and to continually share information without which the disease can easily get out of hand in our sub-region," Debrah said.

The Minister said Ghana achieved some success when stakeholders worked together to form a "National Avian Influenza Task Force" to mount surveillance on the disease and urged international institutions to support countries affected by the disease to control its spread and also provide adequate compensation to farmers that lost birds.

He called on the experts to suggest feasible and scientifically proven advantages of mass vaccination against the disease in the sub-region.

"We must therefore be concerned about early detection and appropriate actions taken quickly to minimize the impact on the livelihoods of small-holder poultry farmers as well as to prevent human infection," the minister added

Veterinarians from eleven African countries are undergoing a one-week training session on how to fight the spread of Bird Flu (Avian influenza) in the region. Officiating at the function, the Minister of Agriculture Anastase Murekezi noted that the workshop would equip the participants with skills to enable them to specifically deal with the looming outbreak of influenza in Africa.

"You are aware that the pandemic has struck several parts of Africa, posing a threat to livestock in the region," the minister told participants at the Novotel Hotel.

He added: "The seminar is expected to produce strong partners in risk analysis on the pandemic on contamination, spread, impact and measures towards protecting the public health."

So far, there are no reported cases of the Flu in Rwanda but Murekezi said the situation should not be taken for granted.

"Yes, we're currently free from Avian flu, but we need to keep a vigilant eye for the possibility of an outbreak," he explained.

By Vision Reporter 
Ugandan traders doing business in southern Sudan not to eat chicken while there following the outbreak of bird flu in Juba, animal industry minister Hilary Onek (right) has warned.
Recently, the Ministry of health confirmed and outbreak of bird flu in Juba.
“For those of you who are doing business in southern Sudan when you cross there don’t eat chicken and don’t allow chicken from there to enter Uganda,” Onek said on Saturday during a meeting with Kitgum district leaders, charity workers, the prime minister and other ministers at the district council hall.
Traders from central, eastern and northern Uganda are doing business in southern Sudan dealing in items like beer, matooke, tomatoes, cabbages, chicken, soda and fish.
Onek said there was need for sensitisation of the districts bordering southern Sudan.
http://www.birdflubreakingnews.com/templates/birdflu/window.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newvision.co.ug%2FD%2F8%2F16%2F521947

Liberia: Advisory From Government's Avian Influenza Task Force

Liberia Ministry of Agriculture (Monrovia)

DOCUMENT
October 2, 2006
Posted to the web October 2, 2006

Monrovia

The Government's National Task Force on the  Control  and  Prevention  of  Avian  Influenza will be holding a two-day  workshop  for  officials from Bong, Lofa, and Nimba Counties from 03-04 October at the Catholic Retreat Centre in Gbargna."We  are  assembling  the Honorable Superintendents, Health Officers, Agricultural  Officers,  Surveillance  Officers, and Customs Officers from  Bong,  Lofa,  and Nimba Counties to raise their awareness about Avian Influenza and strengthen the capacity of County Avian Influenza Task  Forces," said the Chair of the Government's National Task Force on  the  Control  and  Prevention  of  Avian  Influenza  and the Hon. Minister  of Agriculture, Dr. J. Chris Toe. "While there have been no confirmed  cases  of  Avian Influenza in Liberia, the virus is on the Continent  of  Africa  and it is present in Cote d'Ivoire, so all our people must therefore remain vigilant."

Facilitators at the workshop include officials from the Ministries of Agriculture;   Health   and   Social   Welfare;   Internal   Affairs; Information,  Tourism,  and  Culture;  the Bureau of Immigration; the Foundation  for  International  Dignity (FIND); WHO; FAO; and UNICEF. UNMIL,  UNHCR, and other partners are providing technical assistance. Major funding for the workshop is being provided by UNICEF.

"One  programme  of the National Task Force is to bring this training and  capacity  building  to  all 15 counties and when we complete the Gbargna  workshop,  we  will have reached 10 counties. With thanks to partners  like  UNICEF, we are on course to train all 15 County Avian Influenza Task Forces by the end of October," said Minister Toe.

Following  the  Avian  Influenza sessions, workshop participants will receive  two-days  of training in cholera and diarrhoea awareness and information  on  Lassar  Fever.  The  Ministry  of  Health and Social Welfare  will help lead these sessions. Major funding for the cholera and diarrhoea  and Lassa Fever workshop is also provided by UNICEF.

According to the Hon. Minister, the key behaviour messages to reduce the risk from Avian Influenza are:

- Seek immediate treatment from your local clinic if you have fever after being in contact with sick or dead poultry;

- Report sick or dead birds to the local authorities;

- Keep birds away from children and living areas;

- Do not sleep with chickens;

- Do not enter the country with a box of chickens;

- Keep poultry away from wild birds and separate species;

- Separating species helps prevent transmission, especially from wild birds;

- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after handling birds; cooking or preparing poultry products; and before eating;

- Cook well all poultry products;

- When you cook eggs, make sure the yolk and white of the egg are hard;

- Keep raw poultry and eggs away from other foods;

- Keep yourself and your poultry away from water and feed that can be attacked by wild birds;

- For poultry importers, do not trade birds of unknown origin unless there is certificate of a reference source that they are free from Avian Influenza.

The Government of the Republic of Liberia, through the National Task Force, has opened four Avian Influenza telephone hotlines and urges citizens to use the service only to report cases of dead birds.http://www.birdflubreakingnews.com

Kenya: Polio Case Reported At Refugee Camp

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

October 17, 2006
Posted to the web October 16, 2006

Elizabeth Mwai
Nairobi

The Ministry of Health has reported a case of polio at Hagadera refugee camp in Garissa District.

The Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, on Monday said the disease was detected in a three-and-a-half-year-old girl who developed paralysis of the legs last month. He said it was the first case reported in the country since 1984.

"Through its disease surveillance network, the ministry has identified and confirmed a single case of poliomyelitis infection," Nyikal said in a press statement.

Poliomyelitis, also called polio, is a highly infectious disease caused by three types of the polio virus. The ministry, together with experts from the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund, is investigating to establish whether it is a local or imported case.

Nyikal said they had isolated the infected child to ensure the disease did not spread to other children in the camp. He attributed the outbreak to the influx of refugees from Somalia.

Outbreak of bird flu in Juba

Elsewhere, experts have been deployed to Lokichoggio, in Turkana District, to monitor a possible outbreak of bird flu.

The experts, health officials and veterinarians, are to examine people crossing into Kenya from Southern Sudan for symptoms of the Avian Flu, characterised by high fever among other symptoms.

Dr Charles Nzioka, a representative of the National Task Force on Avian Flu, on Monday said the move follows an outbreak of bird flu in Juba, Sudan, adding that Turkana District was a high-risk area. The team will be funded from the Sh6 billion allocated to the task force kitty.

"We have heightened our preparedness. Experts in Turkana are examining conditions associated with the bird influenza," he said.

Ban on poultry imports

Nzioka spoke at a Nairobi hotel during a workshop on the Avian Flu situation in Kenya. He said through routine surveillance, they were able to identify incidences of the outbreak of the disease.

He said they had stored flu drugs to counter an outbreak. Nzioka said a ban on the importation of poultry and its products from Southern Sudan was still on.

The Government announced the ban last Monday following reports from the World Health Organisation that four birds had died of the flu in Southern Sudan.

Dr Grace Gachara, an official at the Department of Veterinary Services, said they had tested 560 bird samples for the disease, adding that the results were negative.

"There are no signs of bird flu in the country," Gachahttp://allafrica.com/stories/200610161294.htmlra said.

East Africa: Kenya On High Bird Flu Alert

The Nation (Nairobi)

October 17, 2006
Posted to the web October 17, 2006

Mike Mwaniki
Nairobi

Kenya is on high alert following a recent outbreak of the deadly bird flu in Juba, Southern Sudan.

Teams of health workers and veterinarians are carrying out tests on people and poultry especially in Turkana and Lokichoggio, the Health ministry's head of promotive services, Dr Nicholas Muraguri, said yesterday.

"Apart from a surveillance, Kenya has banned poultry and poultry products imports from Sudan and other affected countries as a preventive measure against the bird flu," he said.

The first case in Africa was reported in Nigeria, while globally, 253 cases and 148 deaths have been reported.

Kenya has set up 11 centres in public hospitals where health workers are carrying out surveillance on patients suffering from flu-like illnesses.

Symptoms of bird flu in humans include high body temperature, coughing blood, sore throat, general pains and painful or difficult breathing.

Experts have urged people to protect themselves and their families against the flu by not touching, eating, selling or transporting sick poultry.

"People should not touch, eat, sell or transport poultry or wild birds found dead," Dr Muraguri said. "They should instead report such cases to the nearest veterinary or public health office, chief or other relevant local authorities."

The official said all tests carried out showed that there was no bird flu virus in Kenya, and urged people to continue eating poultry without fear.

Veterinary services assistant director Catherine Wanjohi said that tests done on 560 dead birds and chickens collected from various parts of the country had tested negative.

"But experts are still doing surveillance on all migratory birds," she said. "We have also tested dead birds and chickens and they have all tested negative so far for the H5N1 virus."

The officials were speaking during a consultative national task force meeting on avian flu at Jacaranda Hotel, Nairobi.

Dr Wanjohi, who is also a member of the monitoring team, said they were creating awareness among farmers in the rural areas.

"Our response team in Kabete is now fully equipped with protective clothing and masks in readiness for any quarantine measures," he added.

Wild birds and domestic ducks are among the flu's primary sources.

It is spread through contact with bird droppings, poultry feeds, contaminated water, bedding, egg trays, watering utensils and empty bags.

Dr Lauren Blum of Centres of Disease Control (Kenya) said a survey carried out in Nairobi at Burma, Kariokor as well as City and Maziwa markets had shown that basic protective measures were not being observed by people slaughtering chicken.http://allafrica.com/stories/200610170026.html

 latest articles on Health              Kenya issues alert as bird flu reported in South Sudan
Wednesday 18 October 2006 05:30
Oct 17, 2006 (NAIROBI) — Kenyan authorities have issued an alert following a recent outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in southern Sudan.
The ministry of health’s head of promotive services Nicholas Muraguri said teams of health workers and veterinarians are carrying out tests on people and poultry especially in Turkana and Lokichoggio districts bordering southern Sudan.
"Apart from a surveillance, Kenya has banned poultry and poultry products imports from Sudan and other (...)

UNICEF sets up central cold chain for vaccines in South Sudan
Wednesday 11 October 2006 03:30
Oct 10, 2006 (NAIROBI) —The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday it has set up a central cold chain in Juba, the capital of south Sudan, to enable all ministries and relief agencies to gain access to vaccines directly from inside the vast region instead of Lokichoggio which served as the main hub during the war.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, the UN agency said it would help establish the store in Juba so that all ministries and non-government organization partners (...)

Juba bans trade in chicken
Wednesday 20 September 2006 05:30
Sept 20, 2006 (JUBA) — Trade in chicken has been banned to check the spread of bird flu that is reported in Juba, the Southern Sudan ministry of animal resources and fisheries has announced.
The director general of animal resources, Dr Akol, on Monday said live birds, including chicken and ducks, could not be taken into and out of Juba.
“We are banning live birds from being taken out of Juba. That is one way of stopping the spread of the disease,” Akol announced. He was appearing on a (...)

Bird flu cases reported in southern Sudan
Thursday 14 September 2006 06:10
Sept 13, 2006 (JUBA) — The authorities in southern Sudan have found the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in chickens in southern Sudan, a local official said on Wednesday.
Louis Morris Kyanga, who handles community relations for the southern Sudanese government’s animal resources and fisheries department, said samples taken from the birds in August had proven positive for the virus.
"Samples were ... sent to Khartoum, then to the United Kingdom for further tests. On August 30, we received the (...)

South Sudan detects its first case of bird flu
Tuesday 12 September 2006 11:51
Sept 12, 2006 (JUBA) — South Sudan has found its first case of bird flu in poultry in the capital Juba, an official of the Ministry of Health announced in a press statement Monday.
The chairperson, National Task Force on Bird Flu, Dr Sam Okware, said yesterday in a press statement that the outbreak was confirmed on 6 September, and is affecting local chicken.
He directed the district health officers and district veterinary officers in Nebbi, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Pader, (...)

South Sudan faces higher AIDS danger: minister
Sunday 10 September 2006 11:39
Sept 10, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese minister said HIV/ AIDS danger is higher in south Sudan compared to other parts of the country, the Khartoum Monitor daily reported Sunday.
Alison Manani Magaya, Minister of Labor, Public Service and Manpower Development, made the remarks while addressing a graduation ceremony of an HIV/AIDS training program on Saturday, said the daily.
The minister attributed the serious situation to the return of a large amount of refugees from neighboring (...)

Cholera rampant in Sudan, WHO fears for neighbours
Wednesday 30 August 2006 02:30
Aug 29, 2006 (GENEVA) — Cholera is rampant across Sudan, with nearly 25,000 cases and more than 700 deaths recorded this year, and the epidemic threatens neighbouring Chad, a top expert at the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
Cholera has broken out in most states of Sudan, including North and South Darfur, but the toll does not include West Darfur where agencies have little access due to insecurity, said Claire-Lise Chaignat, WHO’s global cholera coordinator.
The (...)

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?mot8

Nigeria: Bird Flu - Poultry Farms Lose Over 222,000 Birds

Daily Trust (Abuja)

October 20, 2006
Posted to the web October 20, 2006

Yusha'u Adamu Ibrahim

Kano state government has so far distributed the sum of N37m to the first and second batch of the Avian Influenza affected poultry farmers in the state, the state commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Muhammad Adamu Bello has revealed.

The commissioner who was speaking at a one-day workshop on recognition, prevention and control of Avian Influenza in Kano, said that a total of 222,101 birds were killed in about 82 farms in the state during the outbreak.

Alhaji Muhammad Ada-mu Bello added that the state government is also processing the payments of the third batch of the affected poultry farmers, assuring that all the affected poultry farmers in the state will receive the N250 far bird assistance.

The commissioner therefore expressed government gratitude to the FG and various governmental and non-governmental agencies who during the pandemic put their heads together in putting it under control in the state.

Also speaking at the occasion, the field officer, federal department of livestock and pest control, Dr. D. Kwange disclosed that due to the Avian Influenza's high risk, immense economic loses and threat to public health, government on its side has put in place an emergency preparedness and differentiated action plan for surveillance and control of the disease.

Dr. Kwange said further that part of the measures adopted in controlling the disease is putting a ban on importation of poultry and poultry products, effective surveillance and functional National Veterinary and quarantine facilities.

She pointed out that Avian Influenza is not government problem alone, rather it requires the cooperation of the private practitioners, poultry farmers and dealers. She therefore, emphasized the need for all the concerned parties to be involved and pro-active in its control.

However, three papers were presented at the occasion and participants include all Heads of Agric Departments and Heads of Veterinary Departments of the 44 local governments of the state.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200610200413.html    good to see they are trying to pay for the losses to the farmers , that will help more farmers come forward when they have problems with BF .

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Bird flu is likely to remain a health threat to animals, and possibly humans, for the next decade, the U.N. coordinator for avian influenza says.

Dr. David Nabarro said October 23 that the avian influenza virus H5N1 "still is a major animal health issue for most of the world and we think it's going to stay that way for five, perhaps 10 years, to come."

Health experts predict the virus will be an ongoing threat because of its highly pathogenic nature and its capability to survive in some species of wild birds for long periods without harming those species. These bird varieties then become carriers of the virus, transmitting it to more vulnerable bird populations.

Another factor adding to the health threat is the virus' ability to spread by a variety of mechanisms -- wild bird migration, trade in animals and poor biosecurity practices in agriculture.

Nabarro spoke at a press conference to discuss his first year as coordinator of avian influenza response. Formerly a senior public health expert at the World Health Organization (WHO), Nabarro was appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2005 to ensure that U.N. agencies mount an effective, coordinated response in support of global efforts to control the pandemic of H5N1 among birds and to prevent a human influenza pandemic.

In 2006, more than 30 countries reported outbreaks among wild birds or domestic poultry, Nabarro said. Although the disease did not spread quite as broadly as expected in Africa, the number of viral outbreaks worldwide was greater than in any previous year.

One of the major goals for African nations is building their capacity to deal adequately with bird flu outbreaks. Animal health services are understaffed and underbudgeted, he said.

The H5N1 virus also continues to affect people, with 256 known human infections causing 151 deaths, according to WHO. Hundreds of millions of birds have died or been killed to limit the spread of the virus, a primarily animal disease. But if the virus mutates into a form that is spread easily among humans, a global pandemic could result.

"The rate of human death is distressingly high with Indonesia increasingly becoming the country which causes all of us, including the Indonesian authorities, very great concern," Nabarro said.

"One absolute requirement" for the international community is "to get prepared for the [human] pandemic," he added.

Ten countries have reported human cases of H5N1. Indonesia has reported more human deaths - 55 - than any other nation.

VARIETY OF MEASURES AIMED AT MITIGATING THREAT OF PANDEMIC

On October 23, WHO released its Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply, and the United States announced a $10 million contribution to support flu vaccine development and manufacturing in other countries.

Dealing with the problem also involves reforming poultry rearing, which includes separating commercial poultry from wild fowl and backyard birds, Nabarro said. That separation now is being adopted in agricultural practices in more and more countries around the world, especially in Asia where the virus has been more prevalent.

Countries also are gearing up their veterinary services to be able to respond to outbreaks quickly and efficiently, he added.

Even though much needs to be done, efforts to deal with avian influenza "are picking up steam," especially in Asia, Nabarro said.

Governments around the world are aware of their responsibility to be prepared for the possibility of a pandemic and are working to meet the challenge, he said. "We may well have reduced the probability of a pandemic happening, but we are never going to drop our vigilance."

Nabarro recently returned from a visit to Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. He reported that all three countries are working to control bird flu outbreaks.

"Thailand and Vietnam are enjoying a measure of success in controlling the virus," he said. "But both are concerned that the virus is still present in birds in their countries, and they could still end up with the situation deteriorating at any time."

Burma, which has been criticized by the international community for not cooperating on other major health issues such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, responded rapidly and with total transparency to intense outbreaks in the country in 2006, Nabarro said. Burmese officials did involve the international community, including U.N. agencies and officials of other governments.

The United States has invested almost $400 million in the international effort to control and contain avian influenza to help stave off a human pandemic.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)