Poultry Farmers, Communicators Drilled On Bird Flu Prevention

By Willibroad Nformi

Although the panic generated by the news of the recent outbreak of the Bird Flu Virus in Northern Cameroon has since died down, there has been the need to put up strategies to prevent or handle it, if it does occur again.

This was the preoccupation of an inter-divisional workshop that held in Kumbo recently grouping poultry farmers, livestock technicians, health personnel, communicators and other community workers from Donga-Mantung, Ngoketunjia and Bui Divisions.

For two days, workshop participants were drilled on various strategies to prevent the contagious avian flu disease through a rigorous hygiene and sanitation methods.
There was also emphasis on behaviour change as old traditional habits in handling birds were identified as likely vectors for facilitating the spread of the disease.

In one of the presentations at the workshop, Bui Divisional Delegate of Livestock, Dr. Andrew Teboh, said though the flu existed since the 18th Century, cases of the virus were detected in ducks in Maroua, Yagoua and Garoua.

The veterinary doctor said the disease was highly contagious, reason why hygiene and sanitation measures should be taken to prevent it. He cautioned especially poultry farmers to monitor birds routinely, protect poultry feed and water sources, regularly cleaning and disinfecting their farms.

For the District Medical Officer, DMO, Kumbo West, Dr. Isaac Fai Ngala, the bird flu attacks birds, animals and human beings. He laid emphasis on the need to prevent the disease from attacking man.

He insisted on the proper cooking of birds before eating, reporting suspected cases of birds to appropriate authorities, proper food handling and warned against the practice of eating sick or dead birds .

Speaking earlier, the workshop coordinator who doubles as Northwest Provincial Delegate of Communication, Mrs. Mary Maimo, said the seminar came on the heels of one organised in Boyo for the other four divisions of the Province.

She said the issue of bird flu was so preoccupying that the government of Cameroon had to set up an Inter-ministerial Committee to monitor and handle the situation. She said the involvement of organisations like UNICEF, the Japanese and USA governments in the prevention of bird flu was eloquent testimony of the seriousness of the issue.

Maimo insisted on proper communication methods as a means of creating awareness of the disease and ways of handling it if there is an outbreak."Communication is a very delicate exercise which if not properly handled could result in disastrous consequences" Mrs. Maimo said.

Workshop participants drew up action plans that would be implemented up to December 2008.