Uganda is on high alert and ready to counter any outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1), popularly known as bird flu, a senior official in the Ministry of Agriculture has said.

Nicholas Kauta, commissioner for livestock was quoted by state- owned New Vision daily on Thursday as saying that the outbreak of bird flu in Egypt, which left four people dead, should not worry Ugandans.

"The public should not panic. Everything is under control. The disease is not spreading among human beings. It is still spreading among poultry," he said.

Kauta said, "We have submitted a 1.2 million U.S. dollar budget to procure the gadgets needed. We have already acquired the testing machines which are at the Virus Research Institute Entebbe and we have also acquired protective gear for all district veterinary officers."

He said the government would start countrywide public sensitization about the deadly disease on all radio stations countrywide next week.

"Brochures and leaflets educating the public about the disease are already out and shall hit the streets soon," he said.

Currently the ministry is training 30 veterinary officers from "high-risk" districts about the disease at Ridar Hotel in Mukono district, east of Kampala.

Kauta also decried the inadequate legal framework concerning compensation.

"When you order destruction in public interest, the law requires that you compensate. But in other countries, the law also allows for compensation on loss. How is this compensation going to work? That is the challenge," he said.

Chris Rutebarika, the assistant commissioner for diseases was also quoted as saying that the issue of bird flu could not be ruled out in the east African country.

"We have only carried out sample tests in dead birds or suspected cases involving poultry. No sample tests have been carried out on migratory birds. We lack the capacity to handle the test," he said.

Source: Xinhua