A week after the confirmation of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in Nigeria, culling and containment has been slow and inconsistent, triggering concern across the African continent.
The problems in Nigeria are numerous. Millions of chickens are dying; both government and local communities claim they have been badly informed and there is a lack of the proper testing equipment and protective clothing needed to arrest the spread of the virus. Poultry workers have been reluctant to be examined for fear of being detained if they test positive. The issue of compensation has also not been dealt with: farmers have not been offered adequate payment for their contaminated stock, raising the possibility of infected poultry products ending up in local markets.
Most African countries have put an immediate stop to all poultry trade with Nigeria. Many have instituted public awareness campaigns, drawn up contingency plans, set up medical training programmes, put aside a budget for culling and have heightened surveillance of wild birds. Nigeria’s porous borders and high volume of trade with other countries has increased the chances of the virus spreading.