Swine flu: Unza has capacity to detect disease

UNIVERSITY of Zambia (UNZA) dean of veterinary medicine, Aaron Mweene says Zambia has the capacity to detect swine influenza should it break out. Speaking on a Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)programme, Open Line, Dr Mweene May 3 said the veterinary school has a state-of-the-art laboratory that can detect any infectious diseases. Dr Mweene said in the southern Africa region, only Zambia and South Africa have advanced laboratory equipment able to detect infectious materials.

“Government, with support from the Japanese Government in August last year, opened the laboratory. Currently, we are carrying out surveillance of bird flu in domestic birds, national parks and markets and we are able to detect any virus within a few hours,” he said.

He said the school of veterinary is also working in conjunction with other laboratories in the region in carrying out research and scaling up surveillance on the swine flu. Dr Mweene said there is need for countries in the world to be weary of swine influenza as it has the potential to become a pandemic.

“This virus is airborne and no wonder it is spreading so quickly in countries where it has been reported. So as a country, we need to be cautious and put in stringent measures because it has the potential to cause devastation,” he said.

And director of public health and research in the Ministry of Health, Victor Mukonka says Government has the capacity to manage an outbreak of swine flu. He said the ministry, with technical support from the World Health Organisation and Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is stocking up drugs in all health centres as one of the measures to manage an outbreak of the virus.

“As Government, we do not work in isolation, rather we are working with the organisations I have mentioned as well as multi-sectoral teams within the country in putting up measures to deal with the disease,” he said.

He said a team of health personnel have been deployed at airports and all border areas to carry out surveillance and sensitise members of the public on precautionary measures.

“There is no need for people to panic as the swine flu has not broken out in the country. What is most important is for members of the public to report to the nearest health centre should they develop symptoms,” he said.

Acting chief epidemiologist in the ministry of agriculture, Yona Sinkala said the ministry has intensified screening of pigs in markets before they are slaughtered.
He said this was in an effort to ensure that pigs are disease free before consumption.
“My appeal to pig farmers is for them to be alert and look out for the disease,” he said.