Senior Ministry of Agriculture officials admit that the outbreak of bird flu last week at Moshav Shalva and Kibbutz Hulit in southern Israel has found that the ministry is unprepared to deal with the disease on a massive scale, and that it is necessary to urgently replace equipment. The destruction of birds infected with bird flu requires extreme caution due to concern that the people who are involved could contract the potentially lethal strain of the disease. In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the Ministry of Agriculture considered the option of urgently flying in the poison foam used to destroy the infected birds from the US.
Passing the buck
Following the bird flu breakout in 2006, a designated emergency system was formed by then deputy director of veterinary services, Yehuda Meirovich. The system included special machines that would spray foam into the infected chicken coops, which would strangle the birds quickly. Special protective clothing and decontamination showers for the people involved in the treatment were also provided. Hundreds of foam barrels were imported.
The emergency system was purchased in the US for NIS 17 million, and has been kept in a "dry storage" ministry facility in Beit Dagan. Ministry of Agriculture director general Yossi Yishai subsequently assumed direct responsibility for this emergency system, taking it away from the Veterinary Services.
As "Globes" has reported, over the past two years the Newcastle disease, which is not dangerous for humans, has been raging in Israel. The destruction of birds infected with Newcastle disease does not required stringent cautionary measures like the bird flu does, and usually the birds can be poisoned through their drinking water.
Apparently, Ministry of Agriculture officials permitted the emergency equipment to be used to eliminate birds infected with Newcastle disease. As a result, the foam machines have become run down and new ones were not purchased to replace them. Worse still, the supply of poisonous foam has run out, and replacement foam has not been purchased. As a result, the ministry is not prepared for a massive emergency bird flu breakout.
"In a humane way"
The Ministry of Agriculture said, "These statements are completely baseless. The proof is that if the supply of foam in ministry warehouses had been depleted, then the spread of the disease in poultry in the current breakout would not have been contained."
The ministry also said, "The Ministry of Agriculture holds a regular supply of foam designated only for use in an outbreak of bird flu, and not for any other use. Following usage of the foam in the current outbreak, more foam needs to be bought to replenish the foam that was used so that we will have a full supply on hand."
The Ministry of Agriculture says, "A decision has not yet been made how to replenish the supply. It has not yet been decided to import the foam by air."
However, the Ministry of Agriculture added an interesting comment: "Foam is the most humane way to kill the birds, and despite the fact that it is more expensive than available alternatives, the Ministry of Agriculture uses it in times of need, so when it is necessary to kill birds, this can be accomplished in the most humanitarian way possible."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 13, 2012
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012