THE CARIBBEAN Poultry Association (CPA) is
calling for the ministries of health and agriculture in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to quickly implement
several recommendations by experts to boost the region's
preparedness in preventing an
outbreak of the avian flu.
Robert Best, executive director of the CPA said this is especially important as the region is a
popular tourist destination and a popular migration spot for many species of birds which are known carriers of the virus.
Mr. Best said, however, that a number of initiatives have been implemented to help mitigate against an outbreak of the deadly flu which affects both birds and humans. The measures include training seminars designed to educate and prepare producers and government officials on how to prevent and manage virulent poultry diseases.
The CPA executive director said the expertise of Dr. Cedric Lazarus, the Ministry of Agriculture's senior veterinary officer, was sought recently to prepare a more specific poultry disease appendix to the existing Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness Programme.
He said this had been forwarded to the CARICOM Chief Veterinary Officers meeting for adoption as a model.
DEEPLY DISAPPOINTMENT
Mr. Best, however, added that he was "deeply disappointment" that the model had not yet been considered in detail, or adopted by the CARICOM's chief veterinarians.
He said the model has also not been incorporated into the Emergency Animal Disease Programmes of most CARICOM ministries of agriculture and/or the operating procedures of the National Disaster Management Organisations (ODMs).
Mr. Best said the CPA has also collaborated with the governments of Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname, to upgrade their vet labs and implement disease surveillance programmes.
In addition to the Emergency Poultry Disease Management Programme, the CPA has been working to put in place several other programmes developed in collaboration with the veterinary officers of the ministries of agriculture and other agencies.
