The Director of Veterinary Services at the Kebbi Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dr. Alheri Ibrahim-Sanchi, says that the state government has escalated measures to contain the spread of avian influenza following its emergence.
This announcement came on Sunday after the fumigation of an infected farm in Amanawa village, Kalgo, on the outskirts of Birnin Kebbi, where 14 peacocks had succumbed to the disease.
The fumigation was carried out by a team of professionals under “One Health”, comprising experts from ministries of Animal Husbandry, Health, Environment, and Information, as well as Principal Partners.
Ibrahim-Sanchi said the essence of the exercise was to curtail the spread.
He explained that some peacocks were reported to have been ill and the pattern of mortality became worrisome, “so, we send a team of veterinary doctors for preliminary investigation.
“Upon investigation, we found it necessary to take samples and those samples were sent to the Veterinary Diagnostic Reference Laboratory in Jos.
“When those samples were analysed, unfortunately for us, they returned positive for ‘Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1)’, so, this is what necessitated this exercise, to first of all come to the scene where these birds were resident and do the needful.”
The director said that the main task was to ensure that the incident did not go beyond the affected facility, assuring that the team would go ahead and take active surveillance, “which is a pattern of seeking for other likely cases that may be occurring in our state.”
He said that because “highly pathogenic avian influenza is a zoonotic infection that tends to spread to humans”, the team had also undertaken the veterinary component of it, while colleagues in human health would identify individuals in contact with the animals for necessary action.
Ibrahim-Sanchi appealed to poultry owners to remain calm but be vigilant, and intensify bio-security, adding that “it is a disease that potent high economic loss for poultry owners.”
He advised poultry farmers to share information with their colleagues, and minimise the number of persons who visit the poultry.
The director also enjoined them to restrict the movement of birds, and avoid sharing farm implements to curb the spread of the disease.
Ibrahim-Sanchi added that the ministry, in collaboration with sister ministries and agencies like ministry of health, environment and information and principal partners, was making efforts to sensitise the public on the disease.
Also, in an interview, Abubakar Bagudu-Muhammad, the Director, Public Health, Kebbi Ministry of Health, confirmed that the disease had the potency to affect humans, adding that “it is also pathogenic; meaning it can be transmitted from one person to another.”
He, however, said they were working as a team, involving animal, human, environment, information and other stakeholders to coordinate emergency health activities at the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) to curtail any outbreak.
Bagudu-Muhammad charged veterinary zonal officers, local government disease surveillance and notification under health, zonal officers of ministry of environment and focal persons at the ward and community levels to be vigilant and put more attention on the border axis.
NAN
