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SULAIMANIYAH,
Kurdistan-Iraq, 23 Feb, - Farmers in Kurdistan
(northern Iraq) are resisting the culling of poultry
by health officials following an outbreak of the
H5N1 virus, or avian flu, saying they want
compensation before killing their birds.
“Farmers are afraid we aren’t going to compensate
them for their losses, but we’re just waiting for
the money to come through,” said Zanna Muhammad,
head of the bird flu prevention drive in the local
branch of the health ministry in Sulaimaniyah city.
“We urge them to recognise that their health is much
more important than keeping potentially deadly
birds.”
Earlier this week, the government provided details
on its planned compensation programme. Tahssin
Nameek, deputy minister of agriculture of the
Kurdistan government, said nearly US $6 million
would be allocated to farmers, but that the value of
birds killed must be assessed before financial
packages can be granted.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture in
Sulaimaniyah, more than one and a half million birds
have been culled so far in the northern Kurdish
areas, an area stretching from the Turkish border to
about 150 km south of Raniyah. That was the village
where the first human bird flu death of a teenager
was confirmed on 17 January. A second death, the
first victim’s uncle, was confirmed on 27 January.
More suspected cases have been discovered since,
with 13 blood samples taken from the southern
governorate of Missan and another 13 in Sulaimaniyah,
of which 10 are currently being tested at a World
Health Organization (WHO) laboratory.
The results are expected back on 25 February. A
further 16 samples are also reportedly expected to
be tested next week, but details on their origins
remain unclear.
Nevertheless, many farmers are reluctant to destroy
their precious inventories, with some even
questioning the gravity of the medical situation. “I
don’t believe a duck can cause this disease,” said
Sulaimaniyah farm resident Darhanish Yehia. “I will
continue to let my son play with the ducks, and
won’t let any person take them from us.”
Those who have already culled many of their birds
express little faith in government promises of
reimbursement. “They culled 20 ducks and 40 chickens
of mine, on which I had been dependant to feed my
family,” Juanne Kader, a widow and mother of five
said. “I went to the government three times asking
for compensation, but they just say it will take
time.”
Meanwhile, a public awareness programme is alerting
families and school teachers to the dangers of
contact with infected birds. “We have so many ducks
in our lakes and farms, especially in areas near
Sulaimaniyah, and children usually play with them.
This can be very dangerous for all family members,”
explained Dr Ahmed Kabut, clinician for the
prevention campaign in northern Iraq.
“Ducks are much more dangerous in this area than
chickens because they migrate and can easily carry
the disease to other areas.”
Government officials estimate that an effective
prevention programme countrywide could cost as much
as US $50 million.
www.irinnews.org
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