Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABUJA1429
2006-06-09 14:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
JUNE 9 NIGERIA AVIAN FLU UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXRO3844 PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #1429/01 1601439 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 091439Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5996 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC RHFMISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 0008 RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ASD-HD// RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001429
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FOR FAS/OA, FAS/DLP, FAS/ICD AND FAS/ITP
USDA FOR APHIS
USDA FOR WAYNE MOLSTAD/OSEC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAID AMED EAGR NI AVIANFLU
SUBJECT: JUNE 9 NIGERIA AVIAN FLU UPDATE
REF: ABUJA 1412
ABUJA 00001429 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001429
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FOR FAS/OA, FAS/DLP, FAS/ICD AND FAS/ITP
USDA FOR APHIS
USDA FOR WAYNE MOLSTAD/OSEC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAID AMED EAGR NI AVIANFLU
SUBJECT: JUNE 9 NIGERIA AVIAN FLU UPDATE
REF: ABUJA 1412
ABUJA 00001429 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary. The June 7 meeting of the AI Technical
Committee featured considerable bitterness, as the Ministry
of Agriculture accused the Ministry of Health of telling
"lies" about AI's spread in Kano State. The National
Veterinary Research Institute confirmed three new instances
of AI in Plateau State. The GON paid 12 million naira
(about $94,000) in compensation, divided between 50 affected
poultry farmers in Kaduna State. An FAO official reported
that Kano State veterinarians continue to suffer a
"significant" shortage of transportation. Elsewhere, a
World Bank official criticized Nigeria's continuing failure
to draw on any Bank funds. A European Union official
observed that Nigeria's political will probably was lacking
and criticized the government's "unjustified complacency"
against the virus. End summary.
2. (SBU) The June 7 meeting of the Government of Nigeria
(GON) Avian Influenza (AI) Technical Committee, which lasted
nearly three hours, was extremely contentious and featured
considerable bitterness between the Ministries of Health
(MOH) and Agriculture (MOA),though the MOH was barely
represented. The chief veterinary officer (CVO),who was
the meeting's chair, accused the MOH of telling "lies" about
AI's spread in Kano State and noted his prior intent to fire
the person who caused this "trauma." The CVO sought,
inconclusively, to dissolve a subcommittee created recently
to address, among other things, recurring AI in Kano State
and the reported incorrect disposal of dead poultry. The
CVO said the GON should instead reexamine its national AI
emergency-preparedness plan. A UN Food and Agriculture
Office (FAO) official, who is Nigerian, called for the
government to exercise tighter control over AI-related
information. (Comment: It is not clear whether the FAO
official sought tighter control over AI information to
increase reports' accuracy or to prevent embarrassing
disclosures, or a combination of these. End comment.)
3. (SBU) An FAO official said in the recent AI outbreak in
Kano State, the affected farmer was not required to pay for
AI laboratory testing, but did have to pay for laborers to
bury dead or culled birds. An MOA official said his
ministry intended for farmers to provide the labor or funds
to dig the pits in which birds will be buried, after first
being burned to prevent people from eating them. States
would pay the cost of the labor if farmers could not afford
this. An MOH official said the Ministries of Finance and
Justice still must issue legal opinions on World Bank AI
funding, some of which the Bank approved as far back as
March 20. The CVO did not know that some of these funds
already were available to Nigeria.
Three outbreaks of AI confirmed in Plateau State
-------------- ---
4. (U) The National Veterinary Research Institute at Vom
confirmed three new instances of AI in Plateau State: in Jos
South in a flock of 480 birds, and two in Jos South in
flocks of 650 and 1,600 birds, respectively. The Plateau
State veterinary service culled the three flocks and
decontaminated the farms. During the week of May 29, the
GON paid 12 million naira (about $94,000) in compensation,
divided between 50 affected poultry farmers in Kaduna State,
for previous rather than recent outbreaks of AI.
5. (SBU) An FAO official who visited Kano last week reported
on June 6 that Kano State veterinarians continued to suffer
a "significant" shortage of transportation. Owners of some
previously infected farms in the state were stocking their
farms without permission, but some of these owners were
implementing improved biosecurity practices. The federal
government might need to subsidize the cost of chicken feed
because of the economic strain on owners who restock, then
must wait for their chicks to mature.
6. (SBU) At the June 6 AI international donors meeting in
Abuja, a World Bank official criticized Nigeria's continuing
failure to draw on any Bank funds. A European Union
ABUJA 00001429 002.2 OF 002
official said sufficient money already was available to
Nigeria to combat AI. He observed that Nigeria's political
will probably was lacking and criticized the government's
"unjustified complacency" against the virus.
ANYASO
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FOR FAS/OA, FAS/DLP, FAS/ICD AND FAS/ITP
USDA FOR APHIS
USDA FOR WAYNE MOLSTAD/OSEC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU EAID AMED EAGR NI AVIANFLU
SUBJECT: JUNE 9 NIGERIA AVIAN FLU UPDATE
REF: ABUJA 1412
ABUJA 00001429 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary. The June 7 meeting of the AI Technical
Committee featured considerable bitterness, as the Ministry
of Agriculture accused the Ministry of Health of telling
"lies" about AI's spread in Kano State. The National
Veterinary Research Institute confirmed three new instances
of AI in Plateau State. The GON paid 12 million naira
(about $94,000) in compensation, divided between 50 affected
poultry farmers in Kaduna State. An FAO official reported
that Kano State veterinarians continue to suffer a
"significant" shortage of transportation. Elsewhere, a
World Bank official criticized Nigeria's continuing failure
to draw on any Bank funds. A European Union official
observed that Nigeria's political will probably was lacking
and criticized the government's "unjustified complacency"
against the virus. End summary.
2. (SBU) The June 7 meeting of the Government of Nigeria
(GON) Avian Influenza (AI) Technical Committee, which lasted
nearly three hours, was extremely contentious and featured
considerable bitterness between the Ministries of Health
(MOH) and Agriculture (MOA),though the MOH was barely
represented. The chief veterinary officer (CVO),who was
the meeting's chair, accused the MOH of telling "lies" about
AI's spread in Kano State and noted his prior intent to fire
the person who caused this "trauma." The CVO sought,
inconclusively, to dissolve a subcommittee created recently
to address, among other things, recurring AI in Kano State
and the reported incorrect disposal of dead poultry. The
CVO said the GON should instead reexamine its national AI
emergency-preparedness plan. A UN Food and Agriculture
Office (FAO) official, who is Nigerian, called for the
government to exercise tighter control over AI-related
information. (Comment: It is not clear whether the FAO
official sought tighter control over AI information to
increase reports' accuracy or to prevent embarrassing
disclosures, or a combination of these. End comment.)
3. (SBU) An FAO official said in the recent AI outbreak in
Kano State, the affected farmer was not required to pay for
AI laboratory testing, but did have to pay for laborers to
bury dead or culled birds. An MOA official said his
ministry intended for farmers to provide the labor or funds
to dig the pits in which birds will be buried, after first
being burned to prevent people from eating them. States
would pay the cost of the labor if farmers could not afford
this. An MOH official said the Ministries of Finance and
Justice still must issue legal opinions on World Bank AI
funding, some of which the Bank approved as far back as
March 20. The CVO did not know that some of these funds
already were available to Nigeria.
Three outbreaks of AI confirmed in Plateau State
-------------- ---
4. (U) The National Veterinary Research Institute at Vom
confirmed three new instances of AI in Plateau State: in Jos
South in a flock of 480 birds, and two in Jos South in
flocks of 650 and 1,600 birds, respectively. The Plateau
State veterinary service culled the three flocks and
decontaminated the farms. During the week of May 29, the
GON paid 12 million naira (about $94,000) in compensation,
divided between 50 affected poultry farmers in Kaduna State,
for previous rather than recent outbreaks of AI.
5. (SBU) An FAO official who visited Kano last week reported
on June 6 that Kano State veterinarians continued to suffer
a "significant" shortage of transportation. Owners of some
previously infected farms in the state were stocking their
farms without permission, but some of these owners were
implementing improved biosecurity practices. The federal
government might need to subsidize the cost of chicken feed
because of the economic strain on owners who restock, then
must wait for their chicks to mature.
6. (SBU) At the June 6 AI international donors meeting in
Abuja, a World Bank official criticized Nigeria's continuing
failure to draw on any Bank funds. A European Union
ABUJA 00001429 002.2 OF 002
official said sufficient money already was available to
Nigeria to combat AI. He observed that Nigeria's political
will probably was lacking and criticized the government's
"unjustified complacency" against the virus.
ANYASO