Whether our veterinary service is ready to prevent epidemic of bird flu? To what rules owners of poultry and workers of poultry farms and ptitsekompleks should adhere today? We addressed these questions to the deputy main state inspector of veterinary medicine of Ukraine, the vice-chairman of State department of veterinary medicine, the head of department of ensuring protivoepizootichesky work Alexander Verzhikhovsky …
- Our service works as well as last years: we have a monitoring program, the complex of researches on all species of a bird is carried out. It is necessary to note that the virus gradually grasps new territories – in 2004 the illness was registered in ten countries of South East Asia, and this year already in 19 countries, and not only in Asia, and and in Europe.
- Sometimes it is necessary to hear that the truth about bird flu at us hide to prevent a panic, and actually the situation is much more terrible. Where it is possible to find reliable information?
- First of all in the International epizootichesky bureau which headquarters is in Paris. This authoritative organization includes 167 countries, including Ukraine. The rules approved by the International epizootichesky bureau, duties to performance by each state. It demand both norms of the international partnership, and care of safety. Every decade we receive detailed information that occurs in the world and, in turn, we provide data of our monitoring on an epizootichesky situation in Ukraine.
It is known that through the territory of Ukraine two ways of migration of migratory birds lie. Some of these birds remain with us on wintering. And house, being near them, in those reservoirs, can easily catch. For this reason at the beginning of October we addressed to citizens with explanations and asked not to let out a weft, geese and hens from yards, most to limit possibility of their contacts to wild birds. It is absolutely simple to fence a yard or a part of a kitchen garden with a grid and to keep a feathery livestock in such group. Day now short – darkens early, outside cold so hens and ducks more time sit in a shed, and, apparently, the problem is solved simply. Though, unfortunately, not all owners responded to our request – is such that let out and continue to let out a weft and geese on water already while won’t freeze. To affect on such a grief of farms heavy, after all a penalty for default of the order of veterinary service – only 8,5 hryvnias. In other countries it treat much more seriously.
- And what will be, if in any economy will find bird flu?
- God forbid! But if it occurs, in the settlement quarantine will be declared. In that case special services will block all roads. Utilization of all birds which are in part-time farms will begin. All this will become very quickly that the virus didn’t extend further. And if someone from peasants, neglecting our councils, let out the house birds to walk already while they caught this virus, it is not heavy to imagine that fellows villager when through it will lose all bird’s livestock will tell to it. Here doesn’t work a known principle – "it’s not my business". Also it is not necessary to hope that when outside the virus isn’t present, hens and a weft can be hided in a shed. In such situation destroy all house birds in a three-kilometer zone. I repeat, all to the uniform! That is it is necessary to show consciousness and to supervise a situation. It is possible even to demand from neighbors that those adhered to requirements of veterinary service and didn’t endanger all village.
- If owners are alarmed by something, have any doubts where it to address?
- We achieve, that in all establishments of the state veterinary medicine – in regional hospitals, phone surely worked at sites and in laboratories -. Each inhabitant of the village or the small town who holds poultry, should call by there at once to phone if there is at it even a small suspicion concerning a state of health of a feathery livestock. I want to emphasize that owners should watch every day how hens and wefts as eat feel, whether is among them shaky or sick.
- And if the hostess sees in a shed or outside though one lifeless duck or chicken, whether it is obligatory to report that about it? Whether will accuse her then what in vain did to noise?
- Surely it is necessary to report and give about it that bird on research. Anybody and of anything its won’t accuse, after all it is necessary to supervise a situation and to analyze all cases.
- And who to whom should go: the hostess to veterinary service or on the contrary – representatives of veterinary service to the hostess?
- The veterinary service should react, arrive operatively and everything to understand. We address as well to bodies of local government: it is necessary to carry out explanatory work as bird flu – it not only the problem veterinary or medical, is a problem social. And than quicker our service will receive information, measures for situation settlement will be quicker carried out.
O. Grigorenko.