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Burkina Faso has bird flu
04/04/2006 08:50 - (SA)
Ouagadougou - Three cases of a deadly bird flu strain H5N1 have been identified in a farm near Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, says animal resources minister Tiemoko Konate.
The minister said: "Three samples from Gampela (a suburb of Ouagadougou) are H5N1 positive." A total of 65 samples had been taken in different regions of the country and sent on March 13 for analysis in the Italian laboratory of the World Animal Health Organization (OIE).
Burkina Faso was the fifth African country to be hit by avian flu. The others were Nigeria, Niger, Egypt and Cameroon.
Konate asked the public to keep cool and to report any suspected cases, saying the government had ordered isolation of the farm concerned and a cull of its poultry.
'We must continue to be watchful'
Konate said: "The disease is a real threat. Before, the threat was at our borders, now it is within the country. We must continue to be watchful both inside and at the borders."
According to the minister, in line with a 200 000 euro action plan drawn up by the government in February, a three-kilometre "security belt" would be set up around the infected Gampela farm, "where poultry movements will be banned".
Officially, the poultry population of Burkina Faso numbered 32 million birds, 24% of them from large-scale farms and 76% reared traditionally.
Experts from 46 African nations, joined by the United Nations agencies, agreed last month in Gabon on an emergency plan to fight bird flu, making a joint call for funds from donors and African governments.
A final declaration adopted on March 22 after three days of talks, said: "We declare the necessity to give proof of a firm political engagement" and for each country to give priority to preparing an integrated plan to fight the disease.
Delay in access to $1.9bn
The document said: "We reaffirm the need for countries and the international community to mobilise additional financial and technical resources, from local and international sources."
A UN mission returning from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria said that governments "do not dispose of the necessary resources to put in place the minimal measures required to start to apply their projects".
There was a heated debate over funding, with African countries lamenting the delay in access to $1.9bn promised by international donors at a conference in Beijing in January.
UN co-ordinator on bird flu David Nabarro said: "This money will not be released like a blank cheque. You must help us to help you."
The European Union promised 30 million euros to fight bird flu in Africa, to be made available by the middle of the year.
World Health Organisation regional director for Africa Luis Gomes Sambo said: "Success in the fight against bird flu is also a goal to reach. That will be possible thanks to the commitment of everybody."
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