Lapses in preparations for killer bird flu noted
07/14/2007 | 04:56 PM
Despite the Philippines’ reputation of being free from avian influenza (bird flu), some lapses abound in procedures to prevent its spread, at least in Mindanao.
Online news site MindaNews (www.mindanews.com) reported Saturday that the admission came from Dr. Rafael Mercado, Mindanao coordinator of the Avian Influenza Task Force.
Mercado, who is also chief of the Department of Agriculture’s livestock division in Southeastern Mindanao, said last week’s confiscation of nearly 300 exotic birds smuggled from Indonesia should be a wake-up call to strengthen preparedness against the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that has plagued Asian countries except Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.
“It seems there are shortcomings," he said, adding the task force will conduct an immediate assessment of their preparedness in the aftermath of the confiscation.
Mercado said Mindanao’s proximity to Indonesia, where the fatality rate, 81 out of 101 people dead, from bird flu infection is high, is a serious matter.
He added Mindanao is under threat because the World Health Organization said there might be a possible avian flu pandemic in Indonesia, based on the deaths.
Also, Mercado said that in the disposal of the smuggled stock, lapses were evident because there was no appropriate gas chamber that can be used to kill the animals with carbon dioxide before incineration.
Mercado said another problem is the entry via the southern backdoor, of Indonesian nationals who might have been exposed to the virus in their home country.
While he said he does not want to appear alarmist, he stressed the need for preparations to keep the country on track against the “constant threat" of the flu.
“What if an infected stock slipped through our protection layers?" he asked.
He also denied allegations of confusing protocol on how to handle livestock, wildlife and other related stocks entering the country, especially from AI-infected countries.
“The protocol is simple. If there are no papers, it should be disposed of immediately," he said.
Mercado said the international protocol only calls that decimation should be done humanely and peacefully and that’s what they did, he said.
Mercado said they will campaign heavily especially in communities along coastal towns around Mindanao to improve information, education, and communication on the disease.
He said the task force will also continue tracking the stock brought in from Indonesia recently in reaction to reports that a number of birds, especially the more expensive ones, were kept by some personalities. - GMANews.TV
Online news site MindaNews (www.mindanews.com) reported Saturday that the admission came from Dr. Rafael Mercado, Mindanao coordinator of the Avian Influenza Task Force.
Mercado, who is also chief of the Department of Agriculture’s livestock division in Southeastern Mindanao, said last week’s confiscation of nearly 300 exotic birds smuggled from Indonesia should be a wake-up call to strengthen preparedness against the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that has plagued Asian countries except Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines.
“It seems there are shortcomings," he said, adding the task force will conduct an immediate assessment of their preparedness in the aftermath of the confiscation.
Mercado said Mindanao’s proximity to Indonesia, where the fatality rate, 81 out of 101 people dead, from bird flu infection is high, is a serious matter.
He added Mindanao is under threat because the World Health Organization said there might be a possible avian flu pandemic in Indonesia, based on the deaths.
Also, Mercado said that in the disposal of the smuggled stock, lapses were evident because there was no appropriate gas chamber that can be used to kill the animals with carbon dioxide before incineration.
Mercado said another problem is the entry via the southern backdoor, of Indonesian nationals who might have been exposed to the virus in their home country.
While he said he does not want to appear alarmist, he stressed the need for preparations to keep the country on track against the “constant threat" of the flu.
“What if an infected stock slipped through our protection layers?" he asked.
He also denied allegations of confusing protocol on how to handle livestock, wildlife and other related stocks entering the country, especially from AI-infected countries.
“The protocol is simple. If there are no papers, it should be disposed of immediately," he said.
Mercado said the international protocol only calls that decimation should be done humanely and peacefully and that’s what they did, he said.
Mercado said they will campaign heavily especially in communities along coastal towns around Mindanao to improve information, education, and communication on the disease.
He said the task force will also continue tracking the stock brought in from Indonesia recently in reaction to reports that a number of birds, especially the more expensive ones, were kept by some personalities. - GMANews.TV
