December 15, 2005

China allocates US$248 million for bird flu vaccinations

China's government has allocated RMB2 billion (about US$248 million) for poultry vaccinations and inspections against bird flu, according to Chief Veterinary Officer Jia Youling at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Jia said sporadic outbreaks might still happen in winter this year or spring next year. But he added that the risk of fresh outbreaks would be low "if we can vaccinate all our domestic birds."

The ministry estimated that 30 bird flu outbreaks have so far hit 11 provinces. China might also see a rise in the number of outbreaks as live poultry deliveries increase over the New Year festive period, Jia said.

China is a major global chicken exporter, raising 14.2 billion birds annually. This posed a challenge to poultry vaccinations nationwide.

Joseph Domenech, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's chief of the animal health division, said China had the human resources, political commitment and the ability to impose policies. But he added that it was easier to vaccinate poultry in larger farms than in villages.

Meanwhile, authorities have stepped up vaccination efforts and inspections in a bid to prevent new outbreaks, Jia said.