Bird Flu in Ghana

The Acting Administrator of the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), Henrietta Holsman Fore, and Ghana's Deputy Minister of Food and Agricultural, Anna Nyamekye have visited two Usaid-supported project sites in Accra.

The visit took them to the Veterinary Services Department and the Labadi General Hospital.

The purpose of the visit was to highlight Usaid's contribution to avian influenza (AI) preparedness and outbreak response plan in the country. It was also to reaffirm Usaid's commitment to AI control efforts in the country and showcase Usaid's support for maternal and child health, family planning and malaria prevention.

The Deputy Minister of Food and Agricultural, Anna Nyamekye said the prevention of avian influenza has been very high on the governments' agenda since 2005.

The disease when introduced into any country, especially like Ghana, can have serious socio-economic effects where over 80% of the country's poultry populations of approximately 24million are in the rural areas where they are not kept intensively but scavenge around for their survival.

Farmers need to make sure that they do not accidentally bring the disease from one farm to another by sharing infected equipment-or even by carrying the disease on their feet when they visit another farm.

Ms. Anna Nyamekye said the government is cracking down on the illegal import of chicken and chicken products from other countries. "We arrest and destroy any birds and their products being illegally imported," She said. "Sometimes they enter from the North and come as far as to Accra".

Anna Nyamekye said the Government's attention is now focused on bio-security on poultry farms to prevent the spread of the disease and other poultry diseases from farm to farm.

She commended Usaid and other development partners for their assistance and called on them to continue supporting the country in fighting the disease.

The Acting Usaid Administrator Henrietta Fore with Ghanaian and American health officials at the Veterinary Hospital celebrated the success of workers in containing the spread of the desease in the country.

"Stamping out the disease in the country helps not only Ghanaians but West Africa and the world," said Fore, who is also the U.S. Undersecretary of State and is in the country to participate in the ongoing AGOA Forum.

Since 2005, Usaid has donated nearly U.S.$1 million to Ghana to prevent and combat bird flu, and they a further $300,000 in funding for emergency response will be released this week.

Usaid Ghana, Infection Disease Advisor, Paul Psychas said Bird flu has a devastating effect on poultry and can swiftly wipe out an entire farm. In some countries the virus has also spread to humans, sparking fears that avian influenza might cause a global health crisis.

There have been three bird flu outbreaks reported in Ghana this year, but so far, no humans have contracted the disease.

source:allafrica.com