Food and Agricultural Organization, (FAO) has stated that the lack of standard bio-security in poultry farms, movement of poultry and poultry products from infected farms are risks that favored the spread of Avian Influenza (bird Flu) in Nigeria.
FAO Nigeria representative, Dr. Louise Setshwaelo, stated this yesterday in Abuja while donating some disease surveillance and containment materials to the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as part of its support in the ongoing efforts to control and curtail the spread of the disease.
Calling for continued and effective disease surveillance, detection and control systems in Nigeria, Dr. Setshwaelo emphasized the need to deploy sufficient resources to fight the current infection, saying more efforts are needed particularly by state governments to fight the outbreak.This is even as she pledged FAO’s continuous support for Nigeria.
Receiving the materials on behalf of the government at the National Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) building, Abuja, the Minister of State, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, assured FAO that the items would be put into use judiciously to combat the spread of the virus.
Lokpobiri, further appealed for more and sustained support from other development agencies, stating that government would do everything possible to achieve self-sufficiency even in the livestock sector.
Senator Lokpobiri expressed his sympathy to poultry farmers affected by Avian Influenza, saying they must have lost huge resources as a result of the bird flu.
Also in her remarks at the ceremony, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federation and Director, Veterinary Services Department, at the ministry Dr. Egejuru Eze, explained that efforts towards containing the current outbreaks of avian influenza have not been effective due to current economic down trend and the inability of the states to meet up with their statutory obligation to control and report disease.
Dr, Eze maintained the need for field officers to be empowered to conduct targeted disease surveillance and other major field activities timely and speedily.
She however expressed the determination of the Federal Government to control the disease which has spread to 23 states and the FCT, assuring that the Avian Influenza would be controlled and eradicated in the shortest possible time.
Some of the materials donated to the ministry by FAO included diagnostic starter kits, protective clothing, disinfectants, laboratory supplies and a host of other items.