UAE on bird flu alert

The country's leadership is cautiously studying the preparedness to deal with any possible outbreak of the pandemic, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Speaking during the first meeting of the National Emergency Committee for the Follow Up of Avian Influenza, Shaikh Hamdan, who chairs the panel, said the leadership attaches great importance and gives the issue top priority to ensure safety of the population.

"The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces pay special attention to the safety of the UAE from any contagious diseases, in light of the current situation of bird flu and its socio-economic implications for the country," Shaikh Hamdan said.

Due to imminent threat of a global outbreak, the officials said prevention measures should be put in place on a federal level. This includes an immediate action plan covering surveillance measures as well as emergency response plans.

The panel has been set up to trace and combat the bird flu disease as well adopt necessary measures to obstruct the pandemic from entering into the country.

The meeting, held at Al Nakheel Palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, was attended by representatives of local and federal departments concerned including the Armed Forces, Interior Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Health, Federal Customs Authority, municipalities and environmental agencies in the respective emirates.

During the meeting, attended by Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Shaikh Hamdan appointed Lt-Gen Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, as Vice-Chairman of the committee.

Calling for concerted efforts to deal with the dangers of bird flu, he urged the agencies and departments concerned across the country to coordinate among themselves and review the conditions of their quarantines as well as their legislations at the country's arrival points to prevent entry of the disease and take urgent measures to prevent its spread in case of an outbreak.

He issued instructions to set up a secretariat for the committee to be charged with coordination between the seven emirates. The meeting selected the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi to host the secretariat.

All emirates have been advised to enforce the country's Avian Influenza Action Plan to counter the threat of a global avian influenza outbreak which has been prepared by the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, EAD, as a reference to chalk out their respective plans. Each emirate was given a grace period of one week to prepare its plans, based on the statistics and information they furnished at the meeting.

Shaikh Hamdan also issued instructions to set up a committee in each emirate to come up with an integrated plan for dealing with any potential outbreak, to take precautionary measures and report any bird flu case or suspected case.

The meeting also reviewed a report by the General Health Authority for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (GHIAS) which urged the authorities to supply an additional three million pills for bird flu, at the cost of Dh28 million. An order for 4 million pills has already been placed.

Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Executive Director of the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi told reporters after the meeting that the UAE was free from bird-flu. "There is not a single case or even suspected case of bird flu," he said, adding that there was evidence that the 3,000 birds reportedly smuggled into the UAE were infected with the pandemic.

"We are now coordinating with the agencies concerned in Sharjah to conduct required tests to ensure the safety of the consignment," Mr Bowardi noted.