April 7, 2006

AFDB grants US$500,000 to fight bird flu in West Africa

The African Development Bank (AFDB) Thursday (Apr 6) said it will grant seven countries in West Africa a total of US$500,000 to help prevent the spread of bird flu across the region.

The aid will be used by the governments of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Niger and Togo to maintain laboratories and prepare plans to control a pandemic should there be an outbreak.

"The animal health component will provide awareness and sensitisation campaigns and information dissemination to farmers, supply of chemicals and equipment for screening poultry and prevent the flu from spreading in event of outbreak," the development bank said. "It will also provide protective clothing for veterinary personnel and purchase vaccines."

Cases of the H5NI strain of bird flu have been confirmed in five African countries, four of them in west Africa, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger. Cases of the strain have also been confirmed in Egypt.