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  • BURMA - Pandemic Preparedness

    Interview with chief vet Dr. Than Tun on avian flu outbreak in Burma
    Democratic Voice of Burma
    http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=6833

    Apr 11, 2006 (DVB) - During a news briefing at Bangkok on 10 April, United Nations? Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) officials said that the recent outbreak of avian flu in Burma is more serious than previously thought and that it has become a major source of problem for the region.


    Dr. Than Tun, director of Burma?s military government?s Planning and Administration Department of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, who earlier insisted that bird flu was unlikely to break out in Burma because only some 15 percent of chickens are grown commercially, gave his reactions to the report as follows: TT: The report the regional coordinator from the FAO, Dr Vitaliy, had was about earlier days.

    He left Burma around 28-29 (March). What he mentioned was about the situation then. Today, the report by Dr Brussens, an expert from the FAO, who is about to leave (Burma) today, mentioned the fact that the disease is well under control. The actual situation is that some townships have been brought under control for about 14 to 15 days now. The last place, like Kyaukse, has also been brought under control for three days already.

    DVB: From your experience, do you expect any other regions to come under the threat of the disease?

    TT: Presently, we are in a very good position. In the earlier stage, we lacked the experience and had to act quite hastily and cooperate with many departments.


    DVB: I see. How about the measures being undertaken now to prevent the disease from spreading to the people?
    TT: They are very good. The Health Department has been closely monitoring the situation and regional authorities are giving their full attention to the matter. Control measures are strictly being enforced by us. Entry into town limits is carefully checked. Besides, the weather has also been very favourable so there are no close contacts. We can clearly study the situation. It is unlike the flu season. Everything is very good so far.

    DVB: We understand that neither your department nor the Ministry of Health rendered any assistance to the affected poultry farms in the field and the farms ended up culling their own chickens. What is the help that you have been giving them?
    T

    T: Some farms lost the birds in the beginning and we noted them down for risk prevention efforts. We had to cull the chickens in those farms and since it involved a lot of birds, we had to use many people, including those from the farms.


    DVB: We understand that handling the disease-ridden chickens help spread the disease to people. So, when clearing these farms, what sort of assistance did you provide to the farm owners...?


    TT: Well, when the culling was done, some wore preventive gear. Of course, there were some who did not, but most of them did. We also had to systematically spray the farms. Of course, there were some shortcomings.


    DVB: Almost all farms lost quite a bit of their investment. What arrangements are being made to help them?


    TT: Of course, we have made plans. Time is still needed. Once stability resumes, it will be incumbent upon us to help them. Our department, the Livestock Breeding Bank, and the Livestock Breeding Headquarters have plans to rehabilitate them.


    DVB: What, would you estimate, is the danger period, so to speak?


    TT: I think by the end of April, we should be able to restore normalcy to the control areas and the restricted areas. We will ease the restrictions. Of course, we will have to be always alert to this sort of disease. Thinking about the future should come after the efforts to ease the restrictions.

    There should be different phases.
    Than Tun also said that more than 400,000 chickens had to be culled as a result of the 9,200 chickens and 5,600 quails being infected. He said eight townships in Mandalay Division, including Singaing, Kyaukse, and Amarapura, and five townships in Sagaing Division, including Kantbalu,Monywa, and Sagaing, were hit by avian flu. FAO and World Health Organization officials still concerned about the situation will be visiting Burma at the end of the month.
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