Nigeria’s Health Minister announces plans for avian influenza research center.

Speaking at the first African International Symposium on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, Nigeria’s Health Minister announced plans for a center to contribute to global research on avian influenza. The center would build the strategic and technical capacity of Nigeria to support bird flu patients.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources, Chief Bamidele Dada stated that 300,000 birds have been culled between January and April 2007, with a total of 1.3 million birds culled since the first outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria last year.

“The government has paid more than N163 million (approx US$1.3 million) to affected poultry farmers whose birds were culled, while an outstanding N281 million (approx. US$2.3 million) would soon be paid to more than 111 farmers in 13 states.”

For information on the International Symposium on Avian and Pandemic Influenza: http://www.icav-citav.ca/viral_global_threat/2007_nigeria/2007_meeting_nigeria.php

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