Egypt: Roll-out plan to eradicate bird flu from Egypt during the 5 years

01/07/2012

The General Authority for Veterinary Services, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization "FAO", in the implementation of a comprehensive plan up to five years starting from year 2012 - 2013 to face the disaster spread of avian influenza virus "H5" in Egypt in a decisive and final, and eradicate the disease completely from Egypt which became the only country in the world that endemic disease causing heavy casualties and totally to the poultry industry in excess of its investments of LE 22 billion and employs about two million people.

And Maj. Gen. Osama Salim, President of the General Authority for Veterinary Services, said the plan will not achieve its goals in the absence of combination of all the efforts of state agencies represented by the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and the Environment, Interior, and the provinces, and organs of the localities and the General Union of Poultry Producers and educators, provided its roles understanding and patriotism, pointing out that the continued endemic disease in Egypt represents a real disaster, pointing to the need to deal with this fact, even science can be absorbed and the Declaration of Egypt is a country free of bird flu.

He said Major General Salim, that the Authority has succeeded in cooperation with the National Center for Research in the production of the first vaccine of strain Egyptian bird flu, and can be adjusted according to the mutation of the disease, a role first assigned to the Authority and of providing vaccines appropriate markets and control, indicating that the vaccine will be used in immunization for free the extent of availability, from within 72 team to investigate the disease has been formed to surround and isolate the virus.

He said that Egypt needs to one billion and 250 million doses per year, while the most that can be supplied from the vaccine does not exceed 500 million doses, which underlines the need for expansion in the construction of plants of veterinary vaccines, local, and especially that Egypt does not produce only 4% of the needs of veterinary vaccines and, therefore, Egypt is this very profitable investment activities and maintain the wealth of animal and poultry and fish, which represents the first line of defense for human health.