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U.S. Gives Disease-Eradication Equipment to Nigeria

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell presents supplies to Nigerian Agriculture Minister Adamu Bello. (U.S. Embassy Photo)

By Charlene Porter
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States donated almost $360,000 dollars worth of disease-eradication equipment to the Nigerian government May 25.

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell presented the supplies to Nigerian Agriculture Minister Adamu Bello in a brief ceremony in Abuja, as the West African nation is contending with the worst outbreaks on the continent of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.

“With some 14 states in Nigeria having confirmed outbreaks,” said Campbell in a presentation ceremony, “we are aware that your ministry’s efforts to eradicate [avian influenza] have been hampered by shortages of these types of supplies.”

The donation includes a variety of supplies needed in the process of culling flocks and protecting workers doing the job.  The package also includes global positioning system (GPS) devices that will better enable agricultural officials to locate farms where outbreaks occur.

According to regional news reports, approximately 450,000 birds have been destroyed since the virus sickening Nigerian birds was identified as H5N1.

More than 50 nations have detected the presence of this dangerous flu virus in either wild or domestic birds. The virus is capable of infecting humans and has done so in 10 nations, causing 124 confirmed deaths, according to the World Health Organization.  International health officials are concerned that the bird virus could mutate into a form easily transmissible among humans and set a global human influenza pandemic in motion.

“Today’s event is pivotal in the fight against avian influenza,” said Campbell, “for it represents the fact that we have not given up the fight to stamp out this horrible disease.”

Approximately 350 veterinary and agricultural extension staff members in Nigeria have received training in disease detection, surveillance and eradication, Campbell said.

The U.S. ambassador also underscored the gravity of the situation in a nation where agriculture is a main source of employment for almost 70 percent of the population, and poultry production comprises almost 25 percent of total agricultural output.

In a Washington briefing May 23, Under Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky described U.S. efforts to help upgrade Nigerian laboratory capabilities so that specialists can now test for H5N1 in animal samples and receive results in hours, a process that took days with previous equipment. (See related article.)

The support for Nigeria’s battle against avian influenza is part of a larger effort the United States is making to assist developing nations in their efforts to contain and control animal disease, as the best strategy to prevent a human pandemic.

A fact sheet on U.S. international engagement on Avian Influenza is available on the State Department Web site. See the Web site of the U.S. embassy in Nigeria for additional coverage of the Abuja ceremony.

For ongoing coverage of U.S. policies and programs, see Bird Flu (Avian Influenza).