Globalisation of bird flu
Saturday, 30. September 2006, 11:58:38
Can education make a better world?
Due to low literacy level in Indonesia, Radio and TV programs is not enough in spreading information about bird flu. To teach all small farmers in this vast country, the central government has created teams of vets at district level. The teams try to visit every farmer and teach them: keep your chickens in a cage away from your house, clean regularly, and burn any chicken shit. A backyard farmer, who is currently saving money to replace his lost live stock, says he wishes he had known before to keep his birds in cages.
The teams are currently operating in just 9 of Indonesia's 29 affected provinces, due to lack of money. A government plans to vaccinate bird stocks is also having too little money. International donors have promised funding for next year that probably needs to be ten times bigger. Bird flu is only one of several major problems in Indonesia. Provinces with after-effect of tsunamis, earthquakes or malaria, put bird flu low on the priority list.
Indonesia is the country in the world that has reposted the most cases of bird flu. It has also confirmed bird flu in humans in possible clusters. This has raised fears of possible human transmission. If the H5N1 virus mutate to become easily transmissible between people, it could lead to a global pandemic.
A potential death toll of millions has led to precautions in the developed world. Is it not better to spend some of this money spent in developed countries instead in developing countries for educational purposes? A higher literacy level will not only increase the likelihood of absorbing info about bird flu, but it will make it easier to learn about any future problems that a local population can come across. Can more education help us to create a win-win world?
Due to low literacy level in Indonesia, Radio and TV programs is not enough in spreading information about bird flu. To teach all small farmers in this vast country, the central government has created teams of vets at district level. The teams try to visit every farmer and teach them: keep your chickens in a cage away from your house, clean regularly, and burn any chicken shit. A backyard farmer, who is currently saving money to replace his lost live stock, says he wishes he had known before to keep his birds in cages.
The teams are currently operating in just 9 of Indonesia's 29 affected provinces, due to lack of money. A government plans to vaccinate bird stocks is also having too little money. International donors have promised funding for next year that probably needs to be ten times bigger. Bird flu is only one of several major problems in Indonesia. Provinces with after-effect of tsunamis, earthquakes or malaria, put bird flu low on the priority list.
Indonesia is the country in the world that has reposted the most cases of bird flu. It has also confirmed bird flu in humans in possible clusters. This has raised fears of possible human transmission. If the H5N1 virus mutate to become easily transmissible between people, it could lead to a global pandemic.
A potential death toll of millions has led to precautions in the developed world. Is it not better to spend some of this money spent in developed countries instead in developing countries for educational purposes? A higher literacy level will not only increase the likelihood of absorbing info about bird flu, but it will make it easier to learn about any future problems that a local population can come across. Can more education help us to create a win-win world?
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Scientists can monitor wild birds movements with the help of GPS technology.
http://www.physorg.com/news78811575.html
By leirom, # 2. October 2006, 07:46:18
The world must remain on high alert for five to 10 more years, according to a top U.N. official.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/reuters/worldNews/~3/40691451/newsarticle.aspx
By leirom, # 23. October 2006, 23:56:51
By philry4n, # 3. November 2006, 09:22:00
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