By demonstrating full transparency, making public incidence of the bird flu virus as soon as the first infection was discovered and initiating, without delay, a national plan to counter it, the government has done well.

However, it appears that government's battle against the virus is expected to be protracted and fierce.

We have no alternative but to pursue all the way through. This is the only way to defend Egyptian citizens' health, save as much as possible of Egypt's poultry wealth.

Having achieved self-sufficiency locally, this industry had already grown into a significant export industry and hence priority should be given to the conservation of its infrastructure.

The battle against the virus covers the entire area of Egypt as the virus broke out, within one week of detecting the first incident of infection, in more than 100 locations spread over 12 governorates.

It must be noted that for each location purgation and protection measures are required to cover a surrounding area of at least 3 km2. Therefore, more public involvement, together with the government is inevitably required; though NGOs are interested in agriculture and health issues, local administration units should be in the forefront of the battle, along with Egypt's rural and urban youth.

This would ensure speedy monitoring and reporting, compliance with protection, prevention and disposal instructions.

The regrettable practice of disposing dead birds into garbage sites on the banks of irrigation canals and waterways is indicative of the fact that awareness campaigns have not reached every location.

True, potable water was confirmed to be safe and free of microbe pollution due the high chloral dose in purification plants, yet there are areas that have no access to clean water and some smaller villages and hamlets still depend on irrigation canal and ground water for drinking purposes.

Therefore, severe punishment and heavy fines should be imposed on those who dispose of dead birds into garbage sites on the banks of irrigation canals and waterways.

The bird flu virus has already increasingly and speedily broken out worldwide, from Southeast Asia to India, Egypt, the Middle East and six European countries. It is therefore necessary to get ourselves well-braced for a protracted battle against the virus.

One of the difficult consequences of this battle would include a growing increase in costs involved in countering bird flu that could potentially affect other areas of health service, undermine nutritional components for lower-income brackets and further reduce incomes of many households who largely depend on domestic poultry husbandry for food and extra income. Indeed, it is these people who really deserve to be protected and cared for.

The greater part of the battle against the bird flu virus is contingent upon increased public awareness, particularly on the local level, where there is access to national media. Good practice by those people, the majority of whom already keep at home poultry coops is essential to contain and curb this danger.

It is therefore highly important that small awareness campaigns be staged everywhere, thus keeping everybody informed and allowing all to share responsibility.

By: Makram Mohammah Ahmad
Al-Ahram Daily,
February 23, 2006