February 17, 2009
US spent US$7 million to check bird flu in Nigeria
US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Sanders said the US spent US$7 million to check the bird flu pandemic in Nigeria last year.
According to Sanders, the money was used in training, capacity building, donating equipment and other projects at the laboratory.
She said with the funding from the US government, the newly built laboratory is fully equipped with the latest PCR machines in order to strengthen Nigeria's diagnostic capacity and better preparedness to face the challenge of the global threat by the disease.
She noted that as of December 2008, there have been 298 confirmed outbreaks of bird flu in poultry affecting 26 of the 36 states in Nigeria.
She added that the situation has led to the death of more than 1.3 million birds, and has resulted in loss of livelihood for many farmers.
