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Kenya to Benefit from funding to fight avian flu

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  • Kenya to Benefit from funding to fight avian flu




    <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=450 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE height=13 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=450 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=text_large vAlign=top>NAIROBI, April 30 - Kenya is among 47 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific that will benefit from a Sh2bn grant by the African and European Unions for the control of the Avian Flu.

    Nairobi based Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources Director, Modibo Traore on Monday said African countries should remain vigilant for early detection of the flu.

    “The areas covered by the funding are mainly in human health, animal health and communication but given the amount of the contribution it is just to boost the national effort made by the countries to build the epidemic surveillance network,” he said.

    World Health Organization Representative David Okello said though an outbreak of the disease in Kenya is not anticipated the country is at risk due to outbreaks in Nigeria and Egypt.

    “The disease could easily spread in Africa where a lot of people depend on animals for their economic activities and if we get an outbreak here (Kenya), am afraid we will be heavily beaten because the continent is very weak,” Okello said.

    They were speaking at the launch of a Support Programme for Integrated National Action Plan Animal and Human Influenza.

    This latest cooperation programme will focus on the early detection and management of the deadly Avian Influenza Virus and is set to assist African Countries and implement integrated National Action Plans on combating the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or Bird Flu Virus.

    The agreement is set to extend the partnership on the control of trans-boundary animal diseases on the African Continent.

    The H5N1 strain remained largely in South-East Asia but has been spreading around the globe finding its way to Eastern Europe and Africa linked to bird migration.

    The disease generally still does not transmit easily to humans, but its emergence in Turkey, Croatia and Romania raised fears of a pandemic, prompting the WHO to urge heightened surveillance and vigilance.
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