UAE | Health
Steps in place to keep avian flu out
The UAE is doing everything it can to keep bird flu outside its borders it was reiterated yesterday by the minister of environment and water during the visit of the director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
- By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter
- Published: 15:33 July 21, 2007
Dubai: The UAE is doing everything it can to keep bird flu outside its borders it was reiterated yesterday by the minister of environment and water during the visit of the director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Poultry farms have not ceased production within the UAE nor have they been shut down but are being kept in closed off areas in approved locations, said Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi, Minister of Environment and Water.
"The UAE has carried out all precautionary measures. Birds and poultry are not allowed to be in the open where they can be in contact with migratory birds. The poultry farms have been approved and are all working," he said.
Al Kindi added that all border entry points were being additionally manned by quarantine officials to monitor any entry of birds - which is illegal, while products from countries contaminated with avian influenza were banned.
Legal or illegal import
Jacques Diouf, director general of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) highlighted that the legal or illegal import of any birds could pose a threat therefore contact with birds in general should be limited.
"Some may even be unaware of what they are bringing into the country," he added. Diouf also spoke at length on water and the possible imminent lack of it if nothing is done to conserve and store it efficiently.
Diouf highlighted the fact that 50 per cent of freshwater is trans-boundary and therefore belongs to several countries.
Minister Al Kindi said water reuse and recycling was very successful in the UAE and grassroots education was being implemented.
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