May 27, 2005

Sri Lanka ready to battle bird flu

Sri Lanka's health authorities have given the assurance that all safety measures have been implemented to deal with any possible outbreak of the bird flu epidemic that is currently ravaging many South Asian countries.

According to Dr. Athula Kahandaliyange, Director General of the Health Department, the country is well equipped to face any threats. He stressed that this disease never affected Sri Lanka even when it was at its peak, affecting many countries in Asia and around the world.

Drawing on the experience of countries that fought against this disease, the opinions of local and foreign experts and WHO-issued guidelines, a top Ministerial Committee headed by Dr. Kahandaliyange finalised the local guidelines and undertook necessary preventive measures. These steps were taken in light of a call by the WHO on countries around the world to push on with their preparations for a possible flu pandemic, after a study in Vietnam showed signs of a greater risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu being likely.

The Joint Committee that comprises the Health Ministry and the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), had imposed a ban on chick imports. This decision was made as a precautionary measure to safeguard the local poultry industry and to prevent any possible outbreak of the AI infection in Sri Lanka.
 

In addition, the Joint Committee imposed a ban on the import of live poultry and poultry meat products and by-products imported from infected countries.
 

Furthermore, authorities decided to suspend the import of live birds, poultry meat products and by-products from all Asian countries. The suspension covered the import of pet (ornamental) or captive birds from all countries. The committee also decided to restrict the import of animal feed from Asian countries and to destroy any unauthorised imports of live poultry, poultry meat products and by-products.