Zambia has no capacity to detect BF

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   Zambia Has No Capacity to Detect Bird Flu - Mangani
VETERINARY and livestock department acting director Dr Moto Peter Mangani has said Zambia does not have the capacity to detect Avian influenza.
And health minister Sylvia Masebo has said the threat of Avian influenza is not far from Zambia.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Mangani said there was need to develop capacity to test for bird flu in the country so that the disease could be dealt with quickly if it hit the country. "We don't have the capacity right now to do the test. We haven't yet grown the virus that is why we can't test," he said. Dr Mangani said for now, the country was using a laboratory in South Africa called the Ondersteport Veterinary Institute and another one in Italy.
And Dr Mangani said the department had taken dead bird samples from a dambo area in Livingstone where bird flu had been suspected after it was observed that birds were dying mysteriously.
He said sometime back samples were taken from an area in Kabwe and the sample results were negative of the deadly Avian H5N1 virus. Dr Mangani said the department was still awaiting results from the Livingstone sample.
"The sample recently taken was from a dambo in Livingstone where birds and ducks were dying mysteriously," he said. He said these results had not yet been received despite having been taken to the laboratory over two week ago.
"We are not happy about the time it has taken because ordinarily we expect results in about three days," Dr Mangani said. "As far as we know, we don't have bird flu."
Dr Mangani said there was need to build local capacity to be able to detect the virus, which could be sent to designated laboratories for confirmation.
He said the department had stepped up surveillance in areas that were deemed higher risk such as bird sanctuaries and border areas. "Right now we are monitoring the movement of migratory birds and are surveying the areas where the birds are found," he said.
Dr Mangani said there was currently training going on for laboratory personnel by countries in the region to increase recognition of the disease.
And Dr Mangani said the increase in backyard poultry farms would increase the threat of transmission to humans if bird flu struck. He said free-range (village) chickens carried the highest risk because they were in contact with other birds.
Dr Mangani said there was need to have resources to be able to compensate livestock owners because the only way of preventing the spread of the disease was by killing infected animals. "The crucial thing is that we need to have the money to deal with this threat," said Dr Mangani.
And in a ministerial statement to Parliament yesterday, Masebo said the country had a comprehensive National Response Plan to dealing with the threat.
"The Avian influenza threat in the country is no longer far from our doorsteps," Masebo said.
Masebo said the National Response Plan and national budget contained pre-pandemic phase activities aimed at reducing human infections and strengthening early warning systems and preparedness for an outbreak of bird flu.
She said preparations for an outbreak required a huge financial resource base and that the government had already allocated significant amounts while it continued to mobilise more resources from cooperating partners.
Masebo urged members of parliament to advise their constituents to report any unusual deaths in poultry or wild birds to the nearest veterinary office.
She said other precautions aimed at reducing, controlling and preventing an outbreak were to dispose of bird remains after de-feathering by burning and to thoroughly cook poultry products intended for consumption.
Masebo said the ministries of health and agriculture should present Avian influenza information packages in full council meetings throughout the country as a way of capturing a wide audience in the sensitisation programme.
She said the virology laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital would be strengthened to enhance testing of the virus. The deadly virus has been confirmed in Nigeria and Egypt.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200602220152.html

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Zambia has no capacity to detect BF Posted: February 22 2006 at 7:03am
	Zambia Has No Capacity to Detect Bird Flu - Mangani VETERINARY and livestock department acting director Dr Moto Peter Mangani has said Zambia does not have the capacity to detect Avian influenza. And health minister Sylvia Masebo has said the threat of Avian influenza is not far from Zambia. In an interview yesterday, Dr Mangani said there was need to develop capacity to test for bird flu in the country so that the disease could be dealt with quickly if it hit the country. "We don't have the capacity right now to do the test. We haven't yet grown the virus that is why we can't test," he said. Dr Mangani said for now, the country was using a laboratory in South Africa called the Ondersteport Veterinary Institute and another one in Italy. And Dr Mangani said the department had taken dead bird samples from a dambo area in Livingstone where bird flu had been suspected after it was observed that birds were dying mysteriously. He said sometime back samples were taken from an area in Kabwe and the sample results were negative of the deadly Avian H5N1 virus. Dr Mangani said the department was still awaiting results from the Livingstone sample. "The sample recently taken was from a dambo in Livingstone where birds and ducks were dying mysteriously," he said. He said these results had not yet been received despite having been taken to the laboratory over two week ago. "We are not happy about the time it has taken because ordinarily we expect results in about three days," Dr Mangani said. "As far as we know, we don't have bird flu." Dr Mangani said there was need to build local capacity to be able to detect the virus, which could be sent to designated laboratories for confirmation. He said the department had stepped up surveillance in areas that were deemed higher risk such as bird sanctuaries and border areas. "Right now we are monitoring the movement of migratory birds and are surveying the areas where the birds are found," he said. Dr Mangani said there was currently training going on for laboratory personnel by countries in the region to increase recognition of the disease. And Dr Mangani said the increase in backyard poultry farms would increase the threat of transmission to humans if bird flu struck. He said free-range (village) chickens carried the highest risk because they were in contact with other birds. Dr Mangani said there was need to have resources to be able to compensate livestock owners because the only way of preventing the spread of the disease was by killing infected animals. "The crucial thing is that we need to have the money to deal with this threat," said Dr Mangani. And in a ministerial statement to Parliament yesterday, Masebo said the country had a comprehensive National Response Plan to dealing with the threat. "The Avian influenza threat in the country is no longer far from our doorsteps," Masebo said. Masebo said the National Response Plan and national budget contained pre-pandemic phase activities aimed at reducing human infections and strengthening early warning systems and preparedness for an outbreak of bird flu. She said preparations for an outbreak required a huge financial resource base and that the government had already allocated significant amounts while it continued to mobilise more resources from cooperating partners. Masebo urged members of parliament to advise their constituents to report any unusual deaths in poultry or wild birds to the nearest veterinary office. She said other precautions aimed at reducing, controlling and preventing an outbreak were to dispose of bird remains after de-feathering by burning and to thoroughly cook poultry products intended for consumption. Masebo said the ministries of health and agriculture should present Avian influenza information packages in full council meetings throughout the country as a way of capturing a wide audience in the sensitisation programme. She said the virology laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital would be strengthened to enhance testing of the virus. The deadly virus has been confirmed in Nigeria and Egypt. http://allafrica.com/stories/200602220152.html

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 22 2006 at 7:15am
	From the Times of Zambia: K16 Billion Bird Flu Preparedness Budget Approved HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo yesterday told Parliament that Cabinet has approved a K16 billion budget towards preparations for an outbreak of Avian Influenza, otherwise known as Bird flu. Mrs Masebo said Zambia had alongside Nigeria and other Asian countries been identified as high-risk areas for the disease because of migrating birds hence the need to prepare for an outbreak. Zambia also had no capacity to respond to an outbreak of Bird flu hence the importance of prevention. She said Government was soliciting for support from the multisectoral and bilateral donors on the prevention of Bird flu. The Avian Influenza national response plan would address the pre-pandemic phase, which would aim at reducing the opportunity for human infection, provide information about the disease and strengthen the early warning systems. The plan would also address the emergency of the virus phase that would contain or delay the spread of the virus at source through the procurement of antiviral drugs, vaccines and some other protective clothing. It would reduce morbidity, mortality and reduce social disruption in case of an outbreak. Government had also instituted active surveillance activities, deployed personnel in border areas to restrict poultry entry and developed information on the virus to correct the situation. Plans were underway to strengthen the virology laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka to enhance in-country testing of the virus. Compensation packages for those who would have their poultry destroyed were also put in place. Ms Masebo appealed to members of the public not to handle birds that appeared sick or were found dead and should disinfect any surface that had come into contact with such birds using spirit or jik. Such birds should also be burnt or buried. The public should also thoroughly cook poultry or poultry products intended for consumption. In another development, Rufunsa MP Damian Kayaba (FDD) told the House that two pupils had died while over 72 others had been admitted in Chief Nyampande's area for cholera and called on the Government to move in. Ms Masebo said she would soon give a report to Parliament on the cholera situation though so far everything was in control. Agriculture Minister Mundia Sikatana said Government was holding talks with an Indian firm to revitalise the Luena sugar plantation. Communications and Transport Deputy Minister Harrigan Mazimba said the Njanji commuter train was owing over K4.4 billion at the time of closure. The net worth of the remaining immoveable assets of the train firm was K7, 163,839,980. And contributing to debate on the Budget, Chiengi MP Katele Kalumba (MMD) urged Government to address issues of the reduction in numbers in the small-scale farmers to benefit under the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP). The K50 billion given to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for the purchase of maize was also not enough. Government should also release money for infrastructure development on time. Dr Kalumba said the youth empowerment scheme and the attainment of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point were a testimony of the hard work by President Mwanawasa and his bid to move the country forward. Choma MP Jessie Muleya (UPND) maintained that this years' Budget was meant to appease the people. http://allafrica.com/stories/200602220177.html