February 13, 2006

EU ready to assist Nigeria against bird flu

The European Union said Friday, Feb 10, that it was closely following the bird flu outbreak in northern Nigeria and was readying millions of euros of aid for Nigeria to help fight the spread of the disease.

EU spokesman Philip Tod told reporters that EU experts "are remaining in close contact" with officials in Nigeria, and with UN agencies, like the Food and Agriculture Organization, which are helping to fight the outbreak there.

"The (European) Commission is concerned about the outbreaks in northern Nigeria," he said, adding the EU was in talks with the 76-nation African, Caribbean and Pacific group on an EU pledge of EUR30 million it was giving to them to help prevent the spread of the disease.

"That aid is yet to be agreed by the ACP countries. We certainly expect Nigeria to benefit from part of these funds, to help them in their fight of this disease," said Tod.

Nigerian poultry farmers on Friday called for more compensation for those whose flocks have been hit by the bird flu, the first known outbreak in Africa.

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was confirmed Wednesday and Thursday in three of Nigeria's 36 states, all in the north of Africa's most populous nation. The disease has killed some 100,000 Nigerian birds so far.

Meanwhile, foreign experts have begun arriving in Nigeria to help authorities to combat bird flu. A team of experts from the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived late Saturday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, carrying with them protective clothing for 200 Nigerian health officials who will cull birds, said Nigerian Agriculture Minister Adamu Bello.

They were joined by a senior regional official for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Sunday. More FAO and WHO officials were expected to arrive in Nigeria later Sunday and they will draw up their plan of action after discussions with authorities.