Kowtowing to Bird Flu Scare

By

Isa

Muhammad Inuwa

Like a cankerworm or rather a bush fire, the disease in vogue has instantly sent its tidal waves of scare across the globe, making every body aware of its presence and keeping every one at bay from using birds. Cases of the virus were first cited at some Asian countries and reports had it that from the years 2003 to 2004 and the present year 2006, the bird flu H5NI had intermittently reared its head in the countries of China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, south Korea, Thailand and others, during which an estimated 100 million chickens were destroyed by the disease in various poultry farms. Likewise some European countries of Turkey and others were also reported to have experienced the bird flu virus from 2005 through 2006. However, not until early February, 9th year) 2006, when expert reports confirmed a case of the virus in Sambawa farm along Kano road in Kaduna, the disease was unheard of in Africa and specifically in Nigeria. Within a short period, about 40,000 birds of different breeds on Sambawa farm were reported lost to the scourge and similar cases began spreading scantily to neighboring Kano and Plateau States.

It was after scientifically testing specimen of infected chickens of Sambawa farm by the veterinary research centre at Vom and a further retest in Italy (according to some versions) in France by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the virus came to be confirmed as H5N1 similar to the one identified in other affected countries. The first ice of the story broke at the monthly forum of ministerial meeting at Abuja and Nigeria’s minister of Agriculture was quoted to have alerted poultry farmers and promised to appoint inspection team to quarantine affected farms.

Despite the seemingly rapid spread of the disease in Nigeria, yet the spread is quite below expectation and below the overwhelming fear that trails the incident.

Untill February 19th, only five farms identified with the H5N1 virus were quarantined in states of Kano, Kaduna and Plateau. One most disturbing thing is the gravity of fear that caught up with people in Nigeria and the neighbouring African nations at large. This fear was ever more apparent with those who use chickens and related poultry products such as chickens’ eggs. Withdrawal from poultry products and abstinence from their consumption led to a consequent fall of demand and stalemate in the market of birds thereby causing huge loss to poultry farmers and retailers of poultry products.

Beside such phobia within the affected places, other areas supposedly free of the virus banned poultry products being imported from areas identified with cases of infection. As authorities in other states of Nigeria warned about purchasing or transferring chickens from those places, likewise neighbouring countries of Niger, Ghana and Cameroon rose to the impending threat from the bird flu virus and put similar ban on importation of such products from Nigeria. The consequent mutual fear and apprehension generated among states in Nigeria and among African Nations as witnessed elsewhere and earlier among Asian countries is very much vivid and a source of concern.

Of course poultry farmers are the worst victims in the whole scenario in that their main source of daily income with which they usually plough back to purchase the chicken feeds and maintain the farms was blocked as people shun their products, which forced the price down. For instance an average chicken that hitherto sold for about N700 now goes for a give away price of N300 only. Although the general change of attitude in consumption of chickens is more expressed with the imported specie of chickens being breaded in special poultry farms, the indigenous breed of chickens commonly sold in market places and streets received less apathy from chicken consumers and their market remained better and more favourable. But still a lot of chicken vendors expressed concern for lack of smoother sales, hence most were put out of business by the chicken disease scare. Health experts continued to convince the public that if chicken meat is well boiled to the maximum of 70 degree centigrade, all likely germs would be automatically killed by the heat. After all, many people explained that cooking food to that high degree of heat is already a settled tradition and habitual practice of Africans.

However people continued their abstinence from chicken meat and their eggs, while few others contend with consuming the chicken products, but consciously following the expert advise in order to avoid danger of getting infected. As authorities in various states of Nigeria appointed task force and emergency committees on the incident of the chicken plague, Kano authorities came up with their committee of health specialists under the leadership of renowned physician Dr. Sadiq Suleiman Wali, tasked with finding medicinal care possible for possible human victims that might be infected by the H5N1 virus. It has been proved by health specialists that no single human victim of the disease is yet discovered in whole Africa, let alone in Nigeria. Also no case of human to human infection has yet been recorded in the whole world. The cases of bird to human infections largely recorded in Asian countries were put at 140 cases, while about 80 victims were reported to have died from the infection. This indicates that the effect of the bird influenza to human beings is by far being over estimated if not exaggerated, particularly in the circle of laymen. This may not be unconnected with the proverbial fear of the unknown, just as the issue of spread rate of HIV-AIDS often seems to be over blown. Being the bird flu specie of H5N1 an entirely new one in history of such diseases and the effective drugs to combat it is still on the laboratory process of being discovered and manufactured, people have all cause to worry. Yet concern should be shown moderately by caution and calmness. Experts revealed that similar bird influenza had occurred at different points in the past, and the first was in 1918 tagged Spanish flu and referred to as H1N1. Then came the Asian flu of 1957, named H2N1 and subsequently the H3N1 bird flu of 1968. While the first flu of 1918 caused the highest human infection across the world with about 500 million cases of infection and an estimated death of 50 million people, it was considered as the most disastrous killer epidemic that dealt a blow on world population even worse than the second world war. The current type of bird influenza H5N1 has been described as highly pathogenic by experts, though not yet seen as more deadly to humans. No doubt, appearance of the current bird flu has offered yet another home work to health and veterinary experts and once again sent them rehearsing back to the drawing board with a view to find a panacea. Although governments of other countries as well as recognized international bodies and volunteer agencies have risen towards arresting the situation, still, an Association of indigenous poultry farmers in Kano who addressed journalists complained of lack of adequate concern and effort to rehabilitate farmers stricken by the epidemic and were fast loosing their stock and breed to the deadly virus.

Most poultry owners all over Nigeria expressed dissatisfaction with the 250 Naira per bird compensation fee announced by Minister of Agriculture, Mallam Adamu Bello, which they consider as too meager.

More so, they requested the government to mount broader public enlightenment campaign to disabuse the minds of people to the fact that not all chickens have been affected and they can be bought and consumed if cooked very well. Now it could be noted that the dilemma of two killer diseases of HIV/AIDS and the recent bird flu appeared to have held the world humanity ransom. Only God the Almighty and dedicated effort of authorities and experts can arrest the situation. We seek absolute and permanent protection from God.

ISA MUHAMMAD INUWA is a Journalist in Kano.

ismi2000ng@yahoo.com