Ghana prepared to deal with Avian Influenza

Accra, July 17, GNA - Ghana on Tuesday assured its development partners of its preparedness to deal with any outbreak of the poultry disease, Avian Influenza (bird flu).

Mrs Anna Nyamekye, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, told the USAID Acting Administrator, Ms Henrietta Fore who visited the La Veterinary Services Department and the La General Hospital in Accra, that the country had put in place intensive surveillance around all staging posts of migratory birds with an Emergency Preparedness Plan to detect any outbreak of the disease.

She said the country had also adopted a bio-security plan to curtail the possible spread of the disease from farm-to-farm, adding that the total ban on import of live birds and poultry products, including feathers, from infected countries was still in place. Ghana has recorded outbreak of the disease in three areas in Tema, Aflao and Sunyani.

Mrs Nyamekye said government had provided GH(250,000 (2.5 billion cedis) to the Veterinary Services Department for the prevention and control of the disease, to procure personal protective equipment, field equipment, disinfectants and the training of veterinary surgeons as well as public awareness.

She said the prevention and control of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) had been on Government's plan since 2005 due to the devastating effects it could have on the economy and commended donor countries for their support in the fight against the disease.

Ms Fore, who is Ghana to participate in the Sixth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), applauded the partnership between USAID and the Government of Ghana for developing a National Avian Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan, which was being utilized in Tema, Sunyani and Aflao.

"I am impressed by the commitment, hard work and professionalism of Ghana's Veterinary Services in responding to the recent avian influenza outbreaks on poultry farms."

Ms Fore said the US government had pledged one million dollars to support the country's campaign against the disease and expressed the hope that the cooperation would greatly help in the fight. At the La General Hospital, Ms Fore said the US government through USAID would provide 14 million dollars to reduce maternal and child mortality, malaria and other infectious diseases.