Bird-Flu: Media asked to focus on positive, factual reporting
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture andLivestock, Prince Esa Jan Baloch here on Wednesday asked the journalists to focus on factual, objective and positive reporting to check spread of misconceptions and misinformation regarding the outbreak of bird flu in the country.
Addressing a press conference, following the coordination meeting between Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL), Ministry of Health and Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination here, the minister stressed upon the mediapersons to join hands with the government in spreading factual and correct information about the bird flu issue.
The minister was flanked by Federal Minister for Health, Ijaz Rahim,Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Dr. Muhammad Amjad and other high-ups. The MINFAL minister was of the view that the bird flu was not issue ofPakistan only, adding that all the countries where the migratory birds go, do face this problem. However, he said, the press of other countries neverexaggerates the situation as is witnessed in case of Pakistan. He said that there was not a single case in the world where a person was reported to have died after touching the affected poultry meat. There is no possibility of bird flu outbreak and the prevailing rumours about the spread of disease are only based on incomplete information, he added.
He said the government was closely monitoring the situation and had taken appropriate steps to ensure timely containment of any human cases of Avian Influenza (if any), adding that government had cordoned three square kilometer area of the suspected chicken-farm in Karachi and culled birds there.
The minister said that all the concerned departments of the provinces have been put on high alert to deal with any untoward situation.
“People must not fear, they can eat chicken and egg as usual as there is no threat of bird flu,” the minister said adding that government has been vigilant to ensure provision of hygienic meat in the markets. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Amjad, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination said, besides, Karachi there were no reports of bird flu from any part of the country adding that government has already taken measures and culled the chicken of the suspected farm in Karachi.
To a question, Dr. Amjad said that government was providing vaccine tocheck diseases among chicken adding that even the broiler birds are providedlocally produced vaccine. He was of the view that since the intrusion of bird flu in 2002, therewere just two reports of bird flu deaths, adding that even these deaths were not sure to have been caused by the bird flu.
Prince Eisa Jan said that cases of bird flu emerge through out the world including Pakistan especially in winters and we are well prepared to meet the situation. He said that bird flu affected chickens in the farms of Karachi have been culled and we have taken ample measures for containing the spread of the virus in accordance to international standards. He said that there is no reason that people should be afraid to consume poultry products as the virus does not affect the health of humans. He said we have maintained a check and balance system under which products hazardous to health would not be allowed to come into the markets.