Abeokuta- The Ogun Ministry of Agriculture, on Monday said it had reactivated the Emergency Preparedness Plan for the control and containment of bird flu.
Mrs Ronke Sokefun, the Commissioner for Agriculture, announced this at a news conference in Abeokuta.
She said the measure became imperative due to the recent resurgence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state.
“The measure was easy because of the existence of previous structure of the Animal Health Component of the World Bank Assisted Avian Influenza Control Programme in the ministry.
“This is coupled with the vast experience we had in the past’’, she said.
The commissioner said that vigorous state-wide surveillance with live bird market decontamination had been initiated along border towns of Sango, Ifo, Akute, Sagamu and Mowe.
“I regret to announce the sample from Sango, Sagamu, and Ifo live bird markets tested positive to the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus classified as HDN1.
“The surveillance focuses on markets in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and Ayetoro.
“Suspicious samples were taken in these markets and sent to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom in Plateau for confirmation.
“We are also working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Veterinary Research Institution, Poultry Association of Nigeria, Veterinary Medical Association, Fowl Sellers Association and the Ministry of Health in Ogun.
“We are processing more suspicious samples from other poultry farms and the result of one farm at Obalande/Ikangba road in Odogbolu Local Government came out positive’’, she said.
Sokefun assured the people of Ogun that consumption of poultry products was safe if properly cooked.
She allayed the fear of transmission to human, which she said was rare.
The commissioner urged citizen to inculcate the culture of hand washing especially after handling or processing poultry products.
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“Farmers should heighten bio-security measures in their farms and register with the Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture as stipulated by Animal Diseases Control Act, 1988’’, she said.
Mr Olalekan Odunsi, the state Chairman of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PANOG), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that consumers of poultry products need not panic over the virus.
He said that the virus could not be contracted through the product if well cooked before consumption.
Odunsi also advised poultry farmers, who were not members of any association, to join PANOG.
He contended that the infection was traceable to unregistered resident poultry farmers who keep free range birds.
“These unregistered poultry farmers are the major cause of the bird flu infection as they rear wild birds that are prone to the infection.
“Any time bird flu comes up, it usually affects poultry business all over the country’’, he said.
He, however, urged farmers to be more serious in bio-security, adding that they should ensure cleanliness in their farms and environment. (NAN)