|
|
|
| Sunday, 25 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Control Preparedness Plan to check bird flu by Surekha Galagoda The Department of Animal Production and Health has an effective Avian Influenza(AI) (or what we commonly know as bird flu) Control Preparedness Plan to minimise the chances of the disease entering Sri Lanka. According to a WHO warning it is not whether we get it, it is when we get it. All Island Poultry Association Chairman Dr. D. D. Wanasinghe said that we in Sri Lanka have been very fortunate as it has not come to Sri Lanka yet although it is prevalent in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Indonesia, China, Japan and Korea. He assured that in the event such a case is detected in a poultry farm they will inform the public promptly as they are in a position to detect it within 24 hours. Thereafter action will be taken to contain it within 48 hours. "Therefore please don't panic but be educated as education will help prevent the disease from entering the country and in an unfortunate event if it enters it will help us detect AI if it is prevalent", he said. Dr. Wanasinghe said that it is normal for two to three birds to die daily and this is no cause for worry. But in the event all birds in the farm die within eight to ten hours this is unusual and it is a sign. In such a situation immediately inform the Veterinary Department, Veterinary Services, the Grama Sevaka or the nearest police station. "In the meantime put the dead animals in a polythene bag, seal them and hand them over to the relevant authorities. Ensure not to touch the dead animals with bare hands or open them to detect the disease, Dr. Wanasinghe said. The Veterinary Research Institute is equipped to diagnose the disease and at present the field staff are being given emergency gear such as gloves, polythene bags and masks to use as and when necessary. In the event a farm has AI The Veterinary Department will take steps to destroy the animals in farms within one kilometre or as deemed necessary to prevent the disease from spreading further.In the meantime a surveillance team will visit farms where migratory birds come and perch and take blood samples from the birds in the farms and test them for AI. So far we have not detected any evidence of the disease, he said. The surveillance program launched by the Department of Animal Production and Health includes preventing the disease from coming to Sri Lanka. It includes banning the importation of poultry or poultry related material such as poultry feed, processed poultry meat from countries which have been declared as affected countries. (Transhipments cannot be done as the importer has to prove the country of origin.) He said that this move taken by the Department together with the Association has affected the industry adversely as day old chicks that are an absolute necessity were also banned but we did not deviate from the decision as it was necessary to stop AI entering Sri Lanka. Another way the disease can enter the country is through migrant birds. Therefore the department together with the Department of Wildlife conducted a survey and identified the locations where the birds perch. As a result of this surveillance teams have been retained to check blood samples of birds in those farms, he said. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
