US avian influenza experts met high-level officials from eight African countries in Pretoria this week, to share best practice in the prevention and control of the outbreak.
A number of birds were
in KwaZulu-Natal following the detection of the HPAI H5N8 virus – also known as avian influenza – in the province
As part of broader US poultry sector efforts to collaborate with African counterparts to enhance global food safety and security and ensure the success and sustainability of the poultry industry, the first sub-Saharan Africa seminar on avian influenza was hosted by the US Department of Agriculture and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) this week.
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The delegates briefed sub-Saharan delegates on US best practice, and learned from the sub-Saharan African experience.
Senior government officials from Angola, Benin, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa shared their experiences with Avian Influenza outbreaks, challenges and control methods.
Council president James Sumner said the seminar was a first step towards further US-African collaboration to help ensure food security, health and safety in animals and humans.
“Avian influenza can affect any country at any time. The more countries working together to share knowledge and learn from each other, the better prepared we will all be to control current and future outbreaks,” he said.
“Our goals are the same: to control avian influenza, ensure animal and human safety, and protect the industry and food security.”
Senior Staff Veterinary Medical Officer with the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS), Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services (SPRS), Avian, Swine, and Aquatic, Animal Health Center (ASAAHC) Dr Fidelis Hegngi said key challenges in many African countries were delays in reporting outbreaks and responding, as well as the bio-security challenges brought about by the widespread practice of live bird trade.
“One of the most important lessons we have learned in the US is that it is crucial to move quickly.
The goal to aim for is depopulation of infected birds within 24 hours. The longer we wait, the more the virus replicates and the more extensively the environment is contaminated.”
Photo: Reuters
However, with inadequate lab capacity, he said avian influenza would take a lot longer to detect and confirm.
“It also becomes harder to contain where live bird trade is common, and where farmers are not reimbursed for losses suffered due to an outbreak.”
In the US, the government reimburses farmers for birds lost due to avian influenza, which helps incentivise early reporting.
Education on basic biosecurity is also crucial in reducing risk, he said, particularly among small-scale poultry farmers.
For more information, visit the department’s
.