April 17, 2007

Egypt spends US$42 million to fight bird flu

Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif has allocated US$42 million to the ministries of health and agriculture to help combat bird flu, the official MENA news agency said.

The funds would be used to upgrade veterinary laboratories, provide the necessary equipment and preparation for immunising the birds, and for the training of 1,200 veterinary doctors.

Egypt's geographical location on major bird migration routes and the widespread practice of keeping domestic fowl near living quarters have made it an ideal location for bird flu to proliferate.

Ignorance and a nonchalant attitude is hindering efforts to combat the spread of the virus in homes, Ayman Alkaffas, spokesperson for the Supreme National Committee to Combat Bird Flu said. The fact that children are found in the areas where poultry are raised helps the spread of the disease, he added.

Bird flu has killed 14 people out of 34 cases reported since the disease was first diagnosed in Egypt in February last year.