Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Training for veterinarians on bird flu gets under way

GUNTUR: Training for the second batch of veterinarians on ‘Avian Influenza’ commenced here on Tuesday. Poly Veterinary Institute Deputy Director Radhakrishnamurthy was the chief guest. The programme was sponsored by the Union Government and co-sponsored by the Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Veterinary Biological Research Institute, Hyderabad.

Addressing the gathering, Veterinary Biological Research Institute assistant directors V. Anuradha and S. Sai Leela underlined the need for being in a state of preparedness, control and containment, if any traces of bird flu appear in the State. Although there have been no traces bird flu in the State till now, the Centre had embarked on a programme to raise awareness among the Veterinarians on the infectious disease, they pointed out.

Practical demonstrations on the culling of birds and safety requirements would be held on Wednesday.

Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Assistant Director Ch. Malleswari said serum samples taken from the migratory birds at the bird sanctuary at Upplapadu have yielded negative results.

She also explained about various pre-emptive safety precautions to be taken in areas where the outbreak of bird flu was reported through power-point presentations.

Referring to the outbreak of bird flu in the country, she said the first incidence of bird flu was traced in Maharashtra in 2006.

The infection spread to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Manipur. Reports of bird flu were reported in Tripura last month.

She said safety measures included culling of all poultry birds infected with H5N1 within a radius of 5 k.m as quickly as possible and destruction of eggs and the poultry feed.

The culling operations should be ideally carried out by the Rapid Response Team, consisting of trained veterinary assistants equipped with safety gloves and masks, she added.

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