August 19, 2009
No bird flu cases in Pakistan
No case of bird flu was registered during the period June 2008 to July 2009 in Pakistan due to proper preventive measures including planning, awareness and transformation of research studies at grass roots level in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of Livestock and Dairy Development, Muhammad Ali Afradi on Monday (Aug 17).
Afradi said that poultry was a flourishing industry in the country which is growing about 10 percent to 12 percent annually and contributes about 1 percent in total gross domestic products (GDP) of the country.
He said the government has spent about PKR1.8 billion to control and prevent the deadly disease which causes loss to the industry in billion of rupees.
Nation Programme for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza project director Akram Munir said the government has initiated the project with a total cost of PKR1180.142 million to strengthen the surveillance, reporting and diagnosis of the disease.
Afradi said that about 18 poultry farmers who suffered a loss due to bird flu were compensated by providing them PKR22 million.
US$1 = PKR82.308 (Aug 19)
