Fear takes wing

The official Indian response to the international global alert on the avian influenza front, ranges from the complacent to the panic-stricken. But neither complacency nor panic can address a very real threat from the skies. Preparedness, however, can.

What is worrying about this phenomenon are recent epidemiological studies which suggest that wild birds are likely to have had a role in the transmission of the H5NI virus to domestic poultry. It is this aspect that makes bird flu a global threat, potentially. The Indian government, on its part, has tested over 12,000 samples and has declared India free from the disease thus far. We need to, one, ensure that this is indeed the case by continuing to rigorously study and monitor the migratory movement of wild birds and test samples on an on-going basis. Two, we need measures to protect domestic poultry from the threat. Winter is a period when over 300 species of birds migrate to the temperate wetlands of the Indian subcontinent from colder climes. Many of them, like the bar-headed geese, come from regions now well established as sites of the avian flu, like China8217;s Qinghai lake region. There is no way these birds can be prevented from winging their way in, but vigilance at the grassroots level can at least reveal any evidence of them dying in conspicuous numbers.

There are no short cuts. International authorities caution against the destruction of wild birds or their habitat in a bid to prevent or control the potential epidemic. They recommend, instead, limiting the exposure of farmed poultry to wild birds. Information then becomes a major ally in the battle against avian flu. While professionally run poultry farms are relatively better off, in terms of bio-security, most of India8217;s chickens are reared under extremely ad hoc conditions in small farms and homesteads. We therefore need greater awareness of the virus and access to veterinary services at the local level. We also need a level-head. Flapping around like a headless chicken is the worst way to respond to this potential threat.