The component coordinator communications (AICP) Mr. Banji Akeredolu made this known at a press briefing at the weekend in Abuja. He disclosed that the forum is being convened to review the report of the International Avian Influenza Disease Surveillance in the animal health service sub sector.
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According to Akenedolu, the consultative Forum which is tagged "the control of HPAI in Nigeria Road Map to the Revitalisation of the poultry industry is slated to hold from November 10 - 11, 2008 at the ECOWAS secretariat in Abuja.
Speaking also, the component coordinator Animal Health AICP, Dr. Mohammed Saidu said the global interest in the control of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza arose mainly because of evidences of sustained disease transmission through uncontrolled trade of poultry and movement of people.
According to him "as soon as the infection was confirmed in Nigeria, the Federal Government quickly put in place necessary structures saddled with the responsibility of initiating surveillance to assess the true status of HPAI to enable them evaluate effectiveness or otherwise of the control measures put in place? The project - he said was co-financed by the European Union and USAID with the technical assistance provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) of the United States.
Saidu said to minimise the threat and contain the ravaging effect of the disease, the Federal Government under former President Obasanjo, has in 2006 obtained a credit to the tune of $250m million from the World Bank International Development Association (IDA), to complement the project implementation.
He disclosed that the forum is aimed at sharing Nigeria's experience in the control and prevention of HPAI, facilitate networking between the two countries of the African region in disease reporting communication and information in the control and prevention of HPAI and to deliberate on the Nigeria's strategy in the control and prevention of HPAI in Nigeria and to provide inputs for evidence-based Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP).
Contributing the assistant director, head of Epidemology, Dr Gashash Ahmed who identified movement control as one of the most effective measure of controlling Avian Influenza, stressed that this was necessary because the air-borne virus is more deadly than the HIV virus.
In his words "People at the grass root needs to adopt a healthier and more secured behaviour. This can only be done through active participation in local surveillance as partners, by way of doing away with unhealthy and unfavourable traditional belief".
