Asaba, Dec. 18, 2019 Delta Government on Wednesday flagged off
distribution of disinfectants to 300 live bird marketers in its bid to permanently kick out the avian influenza (bird flu)disease in the state.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Julius Egbedi, while flagging off the sensitization and distribution process at Live Bird Market(LBM), Abraka in Asaba, said the gesture was to ensure that no outbreak of bird flu was recorded this year.

He said that live bird markets created opportunity for birds from various management standards to come together and presented a ready source of disease spread, as such, every poultry marketer was expected to disinfect the environment regularly.

He called for commitment by all to check the outbreak of the disease, saying, “though it is a disease of birds it can also affect man with serious consequences; prevention of bird flu is simple if all us cooperate and maintain good hygiene.

“Today’s occasion is meant to reach out to all bird sellers in every nook and cranny of our state to seek your cooperation in ensuring that this year’s
Christmas season is devoid of any incidence of bird flu outbreak.

“Having reached out to 50 pig and 50 poultry farmers few weeks ago by giving out disinfectants free of charge, there is need to extend same gesture to poultry marketers and distributors.

“The essence is to reduce or prevent contamination arising from transfer of poultry and poultry products from one location to another which is usually on the increase during Christmas season.

“It is expected that more than 300 poultry marketers spread across the state shall benefit as the surveillance shall be carried out in all the LBM in Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, Effurun, Agbor, Umunede, Oghara, Asaba, OK pan am among others”.

Egbedi disclosed that there had not been any incidence of bird flu in the state since 2016.

Earlier, Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Charles Diai, charge the marketers to adopt a good hygiene measures to ensure a clean environment in order to prevent any outbreak of the disease.

He recalled that the entire country in 2007 and 2010 suffered a harrowing experience due to outbreak of bird flu which caused the death of many birds and a huge loss to farmers and marketers.

According to Diai, with regular use of disinfectants and good hygiene, the disease can be precented.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Alhaji Bawa Abdulahi, Secretary, LBM, Abraka Market, Asaba, thanked the state government for giving them the disinfectants free while assuring that they would effectively use the products to disinfect their environment to stamp out bird flu and any other disease.

Our correspondent reports that each beneficiary is expected to get one liter of CID20 disinfectant when diluted would provide two drums of solution which is enough to last for six months.

Good journalism costs a lot of money, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, accountability democracy and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism, we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble profession.