“For the past few days, information has been circulating relating to a generalized epidemic of avian flu which would have brought the poultry sector to its knees and would have made certain products unfit for consumption. Worse, other information relating to a generalization of Newcastle disease is disseminated, creating psychosis among producers and thus threatening the balance of the poultry value chain”. This is at least what we learn from a press release from the Poultry Interprofession of Senegal (IPAS). Only, according to this organization, there is nothing more false.
The IPAS formally denies “this erroneous information, because it is greatly exaggerated, the authors of which do not measure the disastrous consequences that they could generate within this sector which employs, directly and indirectly, nearly 60,000 fathers and mothers of Senegalese families.
To date, specifies the IPAS, “only 5 cases (4 in the avifauna and only 1 case in domestic breeding), moreover TOTALLY CIRCUMSTANCES, of avian influenza have been identified. And no new infection has been recorded by the actors and the services of the State for a few weeks ”.
Regarding Newcastle disease, continues our source, “outbreaks have indeed been identified and losses suffered by the actors”. However, the interprofession specifies that it is important to note that “the current period of high winds coincides each year with increased viral pressure because it is conducive to the circulation of the various known viruses with which poultry farmers coexist”.
For players in the poultry sector, it is important to underline that “this has not yet reached the proportions announced and IPAS, together with the State, is working on short-term solutions to contain the virus (sequencing, verification of the effectiveness of vaccines on the market, measures to import new vaccines if necessary, targeted support measures)”. Moreover, in the medium to long term, “the strengthening of agricultural insurance is envisaged for better care of victims”, concludes the text. Before appealing to the sense of responsibility of the actors and the media, he invites them to systematically approach the voices indicated within the Poultry Interprofession of Senegal in order to gather the right information.
