Business
RSG Embarks On Poultry Market Disinfection
Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture has commenced the decontamination of poultry markets in the state as part of its efforts to ensure that all poultry markets are free of Avian influenza in the beginning of the New Year.
The Programme Manager, Avian Influenza Control Programme, in the state Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Allwell Emejuru, who stated this in an interview with The Tide, Tuesday said the exercise which began since the beginning of this month was part of the continuous efforts to totally prevent an out break of bird flu as was experienced in the recent past.
Emejuru explained that the exercise was carried out in registered poultry markets in Port Harcourt metropolis but would be extended to registered markets in the 23 local government areas of the state.
He, therefore, called on poultry farm owners to come forth to the veterinary department of the Agric ministry to collect disinfectants for their poultries, saying that the disinfectants are free.
The programme manager used the forum to call on the public to report any suspected case of bird flu (Avian Influenza) to the veterinary department of the ministry.
Sources hinted that the current disinfection exercise was designed to prevent bird flu outbreak after the first major outbreak in the state in 2006.
Since then, The Tide learnt that the ministry in collaboration with the Federal Avian Influenza Control Department has embarked on the decontamination exercise bi-monthly.
Sogbeba Dokubo