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  • LIBERIA: Advisory from Government

    LIBERIA: NEW ADVISORY FROM GOVERNMENT'S
    AVIAN INFLUENZA TASK FORCE

    Republic of Liberia Ministry of Agriculture (Monrovia)
    July 19, 2006

    The Government of the Republic of Liberia has a clear public health message about Avian Influenza (bird flu): do not eat sick or dead chickens or other sick or dead birds. They can kill you.

    "When the Government first began to prepare for a potential Avian Influenza outbreak in Liberia, messages were delivered that all chickens and birds were safe to eat as long as the meat was well cooked," said the Chair of the Government's National Task Force on the Control and Prevention of Avian Influenza and the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Chris Toe. "While healthy chickens and birds and frozen chickens are safe to eat if cooked well, the National Task Force needs to make it clear that eating sick or dead chickens or other sick or dead birds is not safe. They can kill you.

    "While there have been no confirmed cases of Avian Influenza in Liberia, the virus is on the Continent of Africa and it is present in Cote d'Ivoire; all our people must therefore remain vigilant," Hon. Minister Toe said.

    According to the Hon. Minister, the key behaviour messages to reduce the risk from Avian Influenza are:

    Seek immediate treatment from your local clinic if you have fever after being in contact with sick or dead poultry;

    Report sick or dead birds to the local authorities;

    Keep birds away from children and living areas;

    Do not sleep with chickens;

    Do not enter the country with a box of chickens;

    Keep poultry away from wild birds and separate species;

    Separating species helps prevent transmission, especially from wild birds;

    Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after handling birds; cooking or preparing poultry products; and before eating;

    Cook well all poultry products;

    When you cook eggs, make sure the yolk and white of the egg are hard;

    Keep raw poultry and eggs away from other foods;

    Keep yourself and your poultry away from water and feed that can be attacked by wild birds;

    For poultry importers, do not trade birds of unknown origin unless there is certificate of a reference source that they are free from Avian Influenza.

    The Government of the Republic of Liberia, through the National Task Force, has opened four Avian Influenza telephone hotlines and urges citizens to use the service only to report cases of dead birds.

    The hotline number for LoneStar subscribers is 190. Dial 190.
    The hotline number for LiberCell subscribers is 799000. Dial 799000.
    The hotline number for Cellcom subscribers is 1800555. Dial 1800555,
    The hotline number for Comium subscribers is 1452. Dial 1452.

    "The Government's National Task Force on Avian Influenza is working to protect the country from Avian Influenza and it is important to stress there have been no cases reported in Liberia," said Minister Toe. "To respond effectively to a potential outbreak, we need to conduct laboratory tests on birds that are found dead in the country. Consequently, we call on citizens to use the hotline numbers, which are free of charge, to only report cases of dead birds, both poultry and wild, migratory birds. An investigative team from the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare and Agriculture will then be dispatched to collect the carcass for laboratory testing.

    "The Government of Liberia expresses special thanks to our corporate citizens, LoneStar, LiberCell, Cellcom, and Comium, who are providing the telephone hotlines free of charge. It's a free call to make," said the Hon. Minister of Agriculture. "Hotline operators are standing by at the Ministry of Agriculture. If a caller receives a recorded message or voicemail, they are asked to please leave details about a dead bird citing. The Government will respond immediately."

    Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200607190417.html
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