Côte d'Ivoire - Stepping Up Surveillance On Bird Flu

According to this article, the first avian influenza human fatality in sub-Saharan Africa (the death of a Nigerian woman in January 2007), has prompted Côte d'Ivoire to increase its surveillance and detection of avian flu outbreaks. In an effort to facilitate communication, the bird flu fight is being de-centralised across the country and thousands of government agents have been deployed to set up departmental committees to fight avian influenza. According to the Minister of Animal Production and Marine Resources, the committees will serve as communication centres for information concerning the virus.

Though the government surveillance efforts do not extend to the rebel-controlled north, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that the division of the country would not affect the organisation’s efforts to control avian influenza across the country.

According to the article, the Côte d'Ivoire government is expected to announce a vaccination campaign against bird flu as poultry farmers and breeders begin to take the threat of avian flu more seriously. Consumers and vendors, however, continue to be unconvinced of the potential threat the disease poses.