There are two factors that should console
every Nigerian concerning the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza,
commonly known as bird flu. Known informally as avian flu or bird flu,
avian influenza refers to influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds.
The version with the greatest concern is Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza, aka HPAI, and this is the strain that has entered Nigeria.
Nevertheless, we should be somewhat glad
that of all the five subtypes of the HPAI- i.e. H5NI, H7N3, H7N7, H7N9
and H9N2 – that are considered dangerous because they are the only types
that are pathogenic in humans, it is the H5NI strain which has hit our
birds. At least, the H5N1 has defined and easily recognisable symptoms
which could be identified in order to aid early decontamination of
affected areas. It could have been worse.
Continue reading after the cut....
The day I read about the discovery of the
newest subtype of the virus, H7N9, reported in China in 2013, I prayed
that it never entered Nigeria. That particular strain was described by
the World Health Organisation as “an unusually dangerous virus for
humans”. It infected more than 100 people just within three months after
it was reported, and a fifth of those patients died, with much more
lying critically ill. And to worsen the odds, birds infected with the
H7N9 strain never show any symptom whatsoever. The birds never get sick,
never die, but they transmit the virus to humans, who then fall sick
and die. Just imagine the potential apocalyptic catastrophe.
One could then imagine my anxiety when
two weeks ago, I read about the reported cases of avian flu in Nigeria. I
fervently prayed that it should not be that deadly strain H7N9,
especially considering that we just finished grappling, and containing,
the Ebola Virus Disease pandemic. But thank God, as tests were run on
the infected birds, the experts declared that ours was the H5N1 strain!
That brings us to the second factor.
Nigerians should be cheered up by the fact that we had defeated H5N1
before. In early 2006 (exactly nine years ago), avian influenza outbreak
was detected in our country. Nigeria was the first country in Africa to
be affected by the H5N1 virus. The first outbreak was reported in
Kaduna State and confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development on February 8, 2006. The disease spread rapidly to 97 local
government areas in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to official reports then, 440,000 birds were culled in the
first two months of the outbreak. The attacks peaked again by February,
and October, 2007, and in July 2008, but were quickly brought under
control.
At the end of the day, the outbreaks
affected 3,037 farms, causing 1.3 million of the country’s estimated 160
million birds to be destroyed as a method of containment. The world,
concerned that the virus which was before viewed as Asia-concentrated,
had found its way to poverty-ridden Africa, rushed to help Nigeria fight
the scourge. With rapid monitoring, and various containment efforts,
boosted by the World Bank credit of $50m-equivalent provided under the
Global Programme for Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness and
Response, Nigeria was able to conquer the virus.
But today, the menace is back, presently
ravaging seven states of Nigeria. As of last weekend, a total of 140,
390 birds had been infected by bird flu, with 22,573 or 16 per cent
mortality recorded. Remarkably, with 103,445 reported cases and 15,963
deaths, Kano State, which also happens to be where the index case was
found, is the most affected of all the affected states.
However, the Minister for Agriculture and
Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, maintains that the development
has not got to a crisis level and there is no cause for alarm. He said
in Abuja a few days ago, “We are not in a state of any epidemic. Seven
states so far have reported cases of the bird flu. They include Kano,
Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Edo and Plateau states. To date, 21
commercial farms, nine live bird markets and private zoos have been
affected in the seven states.”
My thoughts are, we should not give bird
flu any chance to escalate or divert our attention from it for a second.
No viral epidemic is minor. We must switch to crisis mode in order to
tackle the emergency head-on. It will be much cheaper to start now to
fight rather than wait until it has entered more states or decimated
millions of our birds in this “austerity measures” period.
The first two critical steps that must be
taken are: Spend some government time and money on public enlightenment
and stakeholders’ sensitisation.
Poultry farmers must imbibe the globally
required biosecurity measures for their farms. I once read a report from
the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with some interesting research
findings. It stated that biosecurity failures were revealed in a survey
of poultry farming in Kogi State, thereby raising the risk of the
introduction and spread of highly HPAI in the area; and concluded that
better knowledge and understanding by stakeholders would help reduce the
risks of Bird Flu.
Therefore, listed below are biosecurity
tips livestock farmers should know: Limit nonessential traffic on the
farm; require livestock and feed haulers to clean and disinfect their
vehicles before hauling livestock or feed to and fro your operation;
know who is on your farm, because if bird flu occurs, the information
will aid follow-up investigations; have one combined entrance and exit;
limit access of nonessential people, and do not let unauthorised
visitors touch animals; provide disinfectant and appropriate disposable
footwear; develop and enforce a policy for family members and employees
who visit other livestock facilities to first of all change their
clothes when going, or returning, from other farms, and wash their hands
and face before handling the animals; use separate equipment for
healthy and sick animals; keep your livestock confined to the farm, and
do not feed or encourage wildlife to come onto your farm; and call your
veterinarian immediately you observe unusual disease symptoms in
livestock.
I must mention that experts noted that
domestic or “backyard rearing” of birds is a major cause of the spread
of the avian flu. Asia has a preponderance of this kind of set-up, and
it used to be the only continent with the virus until it began to spread
out to Europe and Africa in the 2000’s. Therefore, Nigerians with
backyard poultries should be on a red alert too.
Meanwhile, for the general public, the
following steps must be taken as a way of preventing the spread of the
avian flu: Know that you should not come in contact with infected
domesticated birds such as chicken, turkey or duck or their carcasses;
know that properly handled and cooked poultry and eggs cannot spread the
virus; before and after handling raw poultry and eggs, wash your hands
with warm water and soap for a minimum of 20 seconds; cook your eggs
till whites and yolks are firm; clean cutting boards, tableware and all
surfaces with soap and hot water to prevent contamination from raw
poultry; use a food thermometer to know when you cook poultry to a
temperature of at least 165 degrees; when warm water and soap are
unavailable, use a waterless alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture
has made these numbers available for bird flu enquiries: 08033892861,
08025195464, 08027370579, 07034500063
- Greg Odogwu/ Punch
Share your thoughts....thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment