DLHA debuts Avian influenza alert & resources page for Africa
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Since late 2003, the world has witnessed at least 80 human casu-
alties and 149 confirmed cases of human incidences from the
Avian influenza (H5N1) or bird flu.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2006_01_19/en/index.html
This translates to over 3 deaths a month. Within the same time
frame, millions of birds have died and the count continues. Al-
though much of the reported human cases of the bird flu have
been in South East Asia, the picture is getting gloomier with
human casualties now reported in Europe. The presence of H5N1
strain of the virus in Europe should be getting H5N1free-Africa
nervous. Indeed, a spill over of the bird flu virus into Africa
is predicted for springtime. (Harcharik, FAO, 01/18/06.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000215/ ) and the WHO
warns the threat is real. (Reuters via Yahoo News. 01/22/06.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060123/ts_nm/birdflu_who_dc )
It is presently believed that if the bird flu were to become
rooted in the African countryside, the consequences for a conti-
nent already devastated by hunger and poverty could be truly
catastrophic. To mitigate such occurrences, improved surveil-
lance, early detection, quick intervention and the application
of internationally recommended set of actions are important for
Africa. This combination of preventive and containment actions
require among other factors, access to the best available rele-
vant scientific and public health information and wide dissemi-
nation of same.
Datelinehealth-Africa (DLHA) news service, your premier provider
of Africa-centered health news, disease management and sustain-
able development information, invites you to stay up-to-date
with accurate, current and Africa-relevant information about
this menacing pandemic through its specially developed, avian
flu alert and resources page.
To visit, click:
http://www.datelinehealth-africa.net/betav1.0/avian_influenza/avian_influenza.asp
Resources featured include:
(a) News updates: Always up-to-date daily news, features and
alerts about Avian flu with special reference to Africa as well
as news in the international arena.
(b) Regulatory Alerts: Highlights the latest information in the
regulation of avian influenza medical products. This includes
efforts to curb counterfeit avian drugs and regulatory guide-
lines for developing Avian influenza vaccines.
(c) Science and Public Health Issues: Especially with regards to
policy and best practice in relation to Threat Assessment and
Preparedness Initiatives, Prevention, Reported human infections
and deaths, Diagnosis, Treatment, Research Reports and Vaccine
initiatives.
(d) Discussion Groups: Identified interactive forum for discuss-
ing bird flu issues pertinent to Africa and the rest of the
world.
(e) Books and Publications relevant to the science of Avian in-
fluenza (bird flu).
f) DLHA Resourced Links to global organizations and websites
that offer accurate and credible information about the science
and containment of bird flu Visit DLHA regularly at
http://www.datelinehealth-africa.net/betav1.0 to keep up-to-date
with Avian flu alerts, resources and other general Africa Health
news, reports and database.
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A. Odutola
mailto:chpss_abo2@yahoo.com