Posted August 17th, 2009
The National Programme for Control and Prevention of Avian Influenza (NPCPAI) in joint collaboration with USAID-AI.COMM today held a workshop with leading media representatives and stakeholders to find out new innovative outreach communication campaigns to reduce the avian influenza (H5N1) in Pakistan.
The purpose of this workshop is to present research findings and to plan communication activities to reduce the risk of illness from the bird flu virus. The participants included officials of relevant Government Ministries, representatives from international development agencies, Pakistan Poultry Association, Academia and Communication Professionals.
Among the leading participants was Mr. Amir Jahangir, Chief Executive Officer of SAMAA TV, one of Pakistan’s leading Urdu news channels.
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In the year 2006, 26 cases were detected; in 2008 the reported cases reduced to 8 and there have been no outbreak since last year. Dr. Muneer further added that Rs.24 million compensation amounts have been distributed among the farmers whose livestock has suffered from the virus.
Mr. Amir Jahangir also said that prevention was the key to improve the health situation in Pakistan, which is why awareness campaigns were a crucial part of the health communication plan.
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The presented research on the topic showed that because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that H5N1 virus one day could be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If H5N1 virus were to gain the capacity to spread easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin.
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