BIRD FLU SCARE TRIALS TO BEGIN IN UGANDA
Uganda to Initiate a bird flu scare trials
Specialist on bird flu also known as Avian Influenza are to carry out public scare replication to test the level of favouritism in case a pandemic of the deadly virus broke out here in Uganda.
The initial exercise will take place on any poultry farms that are assumed to be knocked out by the pandemic early this year. This strategy is led by the ministry of Agriculture, animal industries and fisheries and part of the National anti- bird flu preparedness.
This will involve members of the national task force setting quarantine for a selected poultry farm and its people before the force conducts its examinations. The examinations will be killing the animals as if they were infected with H5n1(the virus that causese avian influenza and then the owner of the farm will be compensated for the loss as said by Dr. Nicholas Kauta the commissioner for animal health and Entomology .
Dr .Nicholas said this on the 29th January 2007 while addressing a training workshop for journalists mainly from African Commonwealth countries, prearranged by Uganda Media for Health, a Kampala-based firm of journalists and medical experts which does capacity-building among expatriates on health issues.
The different topics covered included empowering the media on bird flu awareness, infection control, contribution from partners like FAO, WHO, and the EU, internet sourcing and the way forward.
Uganda birds are a source of tourism so once protected, they will lead to tourism development. Uganda has over 1000 bird species ranging from domestic bird, indeginous to migrants. Uganda’s birding delights are rarely understated and some of the birds include;
Uganda’s most sought after bird, the prehistoric looking Shoebill stork. Other key species include: the African fish eagle, marital eagle, papyrus gonolek, African skimmer and many more.
So given the fact that birds are among the tourism attractions in Uganda , keeping their health is vital for it encourages tourism in Uganda
BY TANAH HADIJAH