- Ghana is seeking a meeting with its western African neighbours to discuss a common measure to prevent incursions of Avian Influenza. A call follows reports on an outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria's remote states of Katsina and Kano last month.
Acting Director of Veterinary Directorate, Dr Enoch Koney said he has called on Togo and Benin, further saying a similar meeting is also planned for Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
He said having realised dangers of bird flu the Directorate had notified all regional directors of agriculture as well as veterinary officers about the new cases in Nigeria.
Dr Koney urged stakeholders to have constant check at all live bird markets and monitor staging posts of migratory wild birds at wetlands while they strictly enforced import permits for poultry and poultry products.
Douglas Akrofi Asiedu, co-ordinator, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said the outbreak of the avian influenza was a real threat to the whole world, especially their region.
He stressed the need for the nation to commit resources to educate and sensitise public on its prevention and how to manage it if it does occur.
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said strain of avian influenza recently found in Nigeria was genetically different from strains in previous African outbreaks in Nigeria in 2006 and 2007.
It pointed to other avenues for the virus to have emerged in Nigeria, such as international trade or illegal and unreported movement of poultry. "This increases the risk of an avian influenza spread to other countries in Western Africa," said FAO in a statement.
The virus which is said to rarely infect people, has killed 243 out of 385 known to have been infected since 2003, according to World Health Organisation, while it has also killed or forced slaughter of 300 million birds.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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