Ambassador's remarks

COMMENTS OF AMBASSADOR JEANINE JACKSON
AT MINISTRY OF ANIMAL RESOURCES TO PRESENT EQUIPMENT TO COMBAT AVIAN AND PANDEMIC INFLUENZA
February 13 at 09:30 at the Ministry of Animal Resources

Mr. Minister,

Mr. Director for the Fight against Sickness

Mr. Director for the Fauna and Hunting

Mr. Coordinator for the Management of Avian Flu Unit

Mr. and Mrs.

I am happy to be here this morning to present equipment, donated by the United States Government, which will assist the people of Burkina Faso to protect themselves and their fowl against the threat of Avian Influenza.

Since the first outbreak of bird flu in Africa in early 2006, the disease has been found in Nigeria, Egypt, Djibouti, Sudan, Niger, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso.

As of late November 2006, fifteen cases of the disease in humans, seven of them fatal, had been reported in Africa.

Millions of birds have died or become infected, affecting the livelihood of many Africans. For this reason, the United States is supporting Burkinabé efforts to respond to avian influenza outbreaks and to prepare for a possible human pandemic.

Recently, the US Embassy in Ouagadougou invited 10 representatives from the Burkinabé Ministry of Animal Resources and 5 physicians from the Ministry of Health to participate in a workshop on Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE), decontamination kits, proper sampling methods, and the packing and shipping of samples according to international regulations.

Participants in the training gained the skills to promote awareness about avian influenza in order  to reduce the risk of the disease in Burkina Faso.

Today, I have the honor of presenting this vital equipment to the Ministre des Ressources Animales. 

The U.S. will continue to work with the Burkinabé government and our partners to ensure that countries have adequate and timely information and supplies to immediately respond to suspected outbreaks.

Each day, we continue to make progress in our preparation to fight this disease.                           

Thank you.