FAO to help Myanmar prevent bird flu

– The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will help Myanmar prevent, control and eradicate highly pathogenic avian influenza with financial aid from the World Bank, according to new agencies.

A bilateral agreement on a three-year project in this regard was signed between FAO and the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) of Myanmar in Yangon last weekend.

The Work Bank will provide more than 1.3 million USD for the project.

In April this year, the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) declared Myanmar as a bird-flu-free country three months after the country was proved that there was no residual bird flu virus remained over the period since January.

There were numerous outbreaks of the avian influenza in Myanmar covering 25 townships of six states and divisions over the past two years since February 2006 until the last in December 2007.-