Bird Flu outbreak: Limit movement of poultry ahead of Eid-ul-Adha – Poultry farmers

The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association has urged poultry farmers to be cautious and vigilant to avert a further spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza disease, otherwise known as Bird Flu, in the country.

After the outbreak of Bird Flu in parts of Ghana, the association has said education will be key in overcoming this challenge to the poultry industry.

“First and foremost, we are going to educate our farmers on the need to heighten their biosecurity… then we are also going to educate people buying from [them],” President of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, Michael Nyarko Ampem said to Citi News.

“More importantly, we encourage our members to reduce the movement of birds especially as Tuesday is a holiday, and we are going to have Eid-ul-Adha,” he added.

Mr. Ampem also stressed the need for better vigilance of the affected regions.

“We are going to encourage that some of these things are really monitored so that we do not transfer the flu from one region to another, but it is contained in the districts and regions where they are found.”

According to the Veterinary Services Directorate, the Bird Flu was detected in the Greater Accra, Central and Volta regions.

The outbreak of the disease follows the detection of similar cases in neighbouring countries since January 2021.

Cases of the Bird Flu disease were previously recorded in Ghana in 2007, 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Following the recent outbreak, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture announced a total ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from neighbouring countries where the prevalence of the disease has been confirmed.

A ban on the movement of poultry and poultry products within and from the affected regions and districts to other parts of the country, and strict inspection and issuance of permits to cover the movement of all poultry and poultry products from unaffected parts of the country has also been put in place.

In addition, the ministry said it has intensified public awareness and sensitisation by Regional Coordinating Councils and District Assemblies, especially in the affected areas.

---citinewsroom