Sharjah, May 18th,2006 (WAM) -- The UAE's national preparedness plan to meet an outbreak of bird flu is likely to be discussed at a globalscientific meeting scheduled to be held in Rome this month end.
The country, so far free from H5N1 the highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI) virus is expected to gain additional inputs from the 'InternationalScientific Conference on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds' organised bythe Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and OIE, the World Organisationfor Animal Health.
Confirming the participation of an UAE delegation at the meeting scheduledfor May 30 and 31, FAO representative in the UAE Kayan Jaff told The GulfToday that experts from the Ministry of Environment and Water and theEnvironment Agency, Abu Dhabi will represent the country at the conference. "It is a roundtable meet of scientists and experts who will discuss therole of wild birds in spreading bird flu. The purpose of the conferenceis to exchange scientific information on avian influenza and the roleof wild birds, to assess the risk of introduction of HPAI to uninfectedareas and to discuss preventive measures," he explained. "Most of the scientists will represent countries not affected by the killerdisease. The UAE, being one among them, will definitely get to exchangethe technical expertise the countries are putting forward for meetingan outbreak of the disease," he said. According to Jaff, the UAE representatives will discuss the nationwidepreparedness plan, which is continuously being reviewed by the NationalCommittee for Emergency Response to Bird Flu, at the conference.
