March 9, 2006

 

Africa needs financial resources to fight bird flu

 

 

African governments need to put aside billions of dollars to compensate farmers whose chickens they slaughter to control the spread of bird flu, the head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

 

Without instant compensation payments, attempts to stop further outbreaks could fail because farmers would be reluctant to kill their poultry stocks, said WHO Director General Lee Jong-wook.

 

He said that African governments should be the first to pay, but the international community will need to make up for any shortfall.

 

"In the industrial setting it is relatively easy to cull every chicken in that farm," Lee said. "When it is found in the village, how can we convince the village people to get rid of apparently healthy chickens? Clearly they will only do this if the government or other authorities instantly compensate them for this culling otherwise people will not respond."

 

Nigeria reported Africa's first H5N1 case in February at a farm in northern Kaduna state. The virus has also since been confirmed in Nigeria's northern neighbour Niger and Egypt. Nigeria has announced plans for compensation of US$1.80 a destroyed bird.

 

In Thailand alone some 130 million birds were culled to prevent the spread, Lee told journalists at the start of a two-day visit to Kenya where he is discussing the government's bird flu prevention plans as well as other health issues.

 

"We need some fund especially in Africa, not some other day but right now. There needs to be a committed fund," Lee said. "In Africa - from Nigeria to South Africa to Uganda and Kenya - I hope that somehow the damage will be limited but if avian flu continues on this way, this can be quite easily billions (of dollars), not millions but I really cannot tell you the exact number."

 

Health Minister Charity Ngilu said that Kenya had already spent US$1.2 million on surveillance and preventive measures but could need as much as 55 billion shillings (US$760 million) if there were an outbreak.

 

She said that they would need substantial international support to meet that target.