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Poultry farming: Gabon adopts a surveillance plan against avian flu
EditorialBy Editorial Staff
2 days ago
LIBREVILLE, March 21, 2026 (AGP) – Gabon adopted its first national integrated surveillance plan against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on Friday, following five days of work bringing together stakeholders in animal health, human health and the environment, the Gabonese Press Agency learned from a ministerial source.
The document, developed according to the "One Health" approach, covers the period 2026-2030 and becomes the national operational framework for the prevention, detection, and response to risks related to avian influenza. It has been amended and validated by all stakeholders, subject to the integration of the annexed technical recommendations.
For Dr. Morgan Bignoumba, Deputy Director General of Livestock and Gabon's delegate to the WHO, the adoption of this plan addresses "a real risk for the country," recalling the H5N1 outbreaks recorded in 2022 and 2025. He indicated that the analyses from the studies confirm "the persistent circulation of avian influenza viruses in Central and West Africa." According to him, the approved plan harmonizes surveillance methods in at-risk areas, including poultry markets, watering holes, and national parks frequented by migratory birds.
Dr. Bignoumba also emphasized that the rapid development of the poultry sector in Gabon increases health risks. Controlling avian influenza thus becomes "a fundamental challenge," hence the importance of having a formal document structuring prevention and surveillance.
The participants also validated the operational tools necessary for the technical monitoring of the plan, in conjunction with institutions, laboratories, sectoral bodies, and partners, under the strategic coordination of the "One Health" platform. They recommended making this platform fully operational across the country, strengthening the capacities of human and animal health laboratories, and finalizing the equipment for the national veterinary laboratory.
They also stressed the need to allocate dedicated resources for epidemiological surveillance, to ensure the interoperability of data management systems, and to train and equip Water and Forestry agents.
From a regulatory standpoint, participants called for an update of the legislative and institutional framework to strengthen the national surveillance system according to the "One Health" approach. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the finalization, dissemination, and effective implementation of the plan.
The president of the Gabonese Livestock Farmers Association, Wenceslas Mamboundou, reiterated that livestock farming remains "a very challenging sector" and requires the implementation of strict biosecurity measures to prevent contamination. With the planned end of broiler chicken imports on January 1, 2027, he emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to better detect health threats, particularly through the use of digital tools.
CM/CBM/FSS/EN/AGP
https://agpgabon.ga/aviculture-le-gabon-adopte-un-plan-de-surveillance-contre-la-grippe-aviaire/
Poultry farming: Gabon adopts a surveillance plan against avian flu
EditorialBy Editorial Staff
2 days ago
LIBREVILLE, March 21, 2026 (AGP) – Gabon adopted its first national integrated surveillance plan against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on Friday, following five days of work bringing together stakeholders in animal health, human health and the environment, the Gabonese Press Agency learned from a ministerial source.
The document, developed according to the "One Health" approach, covers the period 2026-2030 and becomes the national operational framework for the prevention, detection, and response to risks related to avian influenza. It has been amended and validated by all stakeholders, subject to the integration of the annexed technical recommendations.
For Dr. Morgan Bignoumba, Deputy Director General of Livestock and Gabon's delegate to the WHO, the adoption of this plan addresses "a real risk for the country," recalling the H5N1 outbreaks recorded in 2022 and 2025. He indicated that the analyses from the studies confirm "the persistent circulation of avian influenza viruses in Central and West Africa." According to him, the approved plan harmonizes surveillance methods in at-risk areas, including poultry markets, watering holes, and national parks frequented by migratory birds.
Dr. Bignoumba also emphasized that the rapid development of the poultry sector in Gabon increases health risks. Controlling avian influenza thus becomes "a fundamental challenge," hence the importance of having a formal document structuring prevention and surveillance.
The participants also validated the operational tools necessary for the technical monitoring of the plan, in conjunction with institutions, laboratories, sectoral bodies, and partners, under the strategic coordination of the "One Health" platform. They recommended making this platform fully operational across the country, strengthening the capacities of human and animal health laboratories, and finalizing the equipment for the national veterinary laboratory.
They also stressed the need to allocate dedicated resources for epidemiological surveillance, to ensure the interoperability of data management systems, and to train and equip Water and Forestry agents.
From a regulatory standpoint, participants called for an update of the legislative and institutional framework to strengthen the national surveillance system according to the "One Health" approach. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the finalization, dissemination, and effective implementation of the plan.
The president of the Gabonese Livestock Farmers Association, Wenceslas Mamboundou, reiterated that livestock farming remains "a very challenging sector" and requires the implementation of strict biosecurity measures to prevent contamination. With the planned end of broiler chicken imports on January 1, 2027, he emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to better detect health threats, particularly through the use of digital tools.
CM/CBM/FSS/EN/AGP
https://agpgabon.ga/aviculture-le-gabon-adopte-un-plan-de-surveillance-contre-la-grippe-aviaire/