United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Pakistan on Friday officially handed over personal protective equipment kits costing $18,704 along with Infectious Substance Insulated Shipper to help Pakistan cope with outbreaks of bird flu.
Jennet Paz-Castillo, Health Office Chief, USAID Pakistan, Dr Khurshid Ahmed, Deputy Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Dr Akram Munir, Project Director, National Programme for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza, Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development along with other senior officials attended the ceremony.
Addressing the gathering Paz-Castillo said, "This gear will limit the risk of bird-to-human transmission of virus during outbreak response activities such as disposing of infected poultry and decontaminating poultry raising areas." Pakistan is the 24th country throughout Asia and the Near East that has experienced outbreaks of Avian Influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain of virus, which killed many birds.
In 2008 alone, 535 new outbreaks of Avian Influenza were reported in 21 countries. Of this, 51 cases were reported from Pakistan. Poultry and livestock sector is important industry in Pakistan as during 2008-09 it generated Rs 18.8 billion revenue, contributing 1.1 percent to the GDP. About 26 percent people in Pakistan eat chicken meat, which calls for measures that would help boost the poultry industry. Hence, timely preventive measures are necessary to limit the spread of diseases such as avian influenza.
"The most recent outbreaks of H5NI (swine flu) remind us how critical such efforts are in containing Avian Influenza. All relevant ministries, offices and units must remain vigilant in their battle to detect and contain this virus," said Paz-Castillo. The protective suits, respirators, goggles and gloves will be distributed among the people who come in direct contact with the infected poultry.
The gear will limit the risk of animal-to-animal and animal-to-human infection during outbreak response activities such as disposing of infected poultry and decontaminating poultry breeding centres. Talking to Business Recorder, officials of the Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development said the government has established 66 rapid response units in various cities to provide the best possible assistance to farmers."