Nigeria
12 February 2006
Avian Influenza has been diagnosed in Nigeria and the International Animal
Health Organisation, the OIE, together with the Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) wants to urgently
send a team of experts to Nigeria to assess what the situation is.
We are proud of the fact that the OIE requested two of our most prominent
and specialist veterinarians in the Western Cape to join delegates from the
OIE, the FAO and the WHO on this urgent mission to Nigeria.
This mission will:
* Assess the current situation relating to the emergence of Avian Influenza in
Nigeria,
* Provide advice to the veterinary authorities in Nigeria on the necessary
animal health policies for the diagnosis, control and eradication of Avian
Influenza,
* Assess the necessary assistance to Nigeria from the OIE/FAO network on Avian
Influenza on diagnosis and characterization of the virus strains and in the
provision of specialised training on the diagnosis of Avian Influenza,
* To submit an independent mission report to the OIE on completion of the
mission.
Dr James Kitching and Dr Marna Sinclair from the Western Cape Department of
Agriculture will be leaving today to join in this mission as Avian Influenza is
and will remain detrimental to the World, Africa and is a threat to South
Africa, our people and our poultry industry in general. These vets were very
involved last year during the testing of the ostrich population of the Western
Cape.
Enquiries:
Alie van Jaarsveld
Cell: 084 604 6701
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Western Cape Provincial
Government
12 February 2006
