KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 5

The federal government has issued the Bird Flu Control Regulation, 2022 for prevention and control of the highly pathogenic avian influenza across the country.

According to the regulation recently published in the Nepal Gazette, it was developed and put into effect in line with the Animal Health Livestock Services Act, 1998.

The regulation stipulate a provision of an 11-member Bird Flu Control Coordination Committee led by director general at the Department of Livestock Services. Officials from various stakeholder government agencies act as members of this coordination committee.

The functions, duties and powers of the coordination committee are to prepare plans and standards related to prevention and control of bird flu; establish surveillance, emergency disease investigation, diagnosis and control room, mobilise necessary resources and means for disease control, impose ban on sale or distribution, storage and transportation of poultry birds and products in the infected area and facilitate destruction thereof, manage information and communication related to disease, and coordinate and collaborate with all three levels of government and authorities concerned.

Similarly, there will be a 10-member Bird Flu Control Committee led by the Chief District Officer in each district.

The control committee has been tasked with the responsibilities of making arrangements for disease prevention, control and distribution of relief, preparing and implementing district-level action plan; mobilising resources for disease prevention and control, coordinating with district-level government agencies and stakeholders, and making security arrangements.

The regulation requires the in-charge of veterinary hospital or Veterinary Service Expert Centre to carry out checks and surveillance on a regular basis to prevent the spread of bird flu in his or her area. 'If any bird is suspected to have been died of bird flu, the office incharge shall proceed with sample collection from their habitat, farm, hatchery, market, wetland areas or other places where birds live,' the regulation says. It will require the office in-charge to place a ban on the consumption, sale or distribution, use and transportation of any poultry bird or poultry products until the lab report of the samples is received. The lab report needs to be disseminated through media.

If the samples are tested positive for bird flu, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development may declare a radius of three kilometres area from which the such samples were collected as a bird flu-affected zone for a specific period.

Upon such declaration, the Department of Livestock Services and stakeholder agencies shall adopt necessary measures to contain the disease as soon as possible.

Likewise, the authorities shall destroy the diseased poultry birds, poultry products, feeds and other production inputs safely, while disinfecting the area. The regulation has also made a provision for providing relief to persons whose poultry birds and products are destroyed in the course of disease control.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 6, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.