HPAI VACCINATION AND OTHER CONTROL MEASURES: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

1. HPAI VACCINATION AND OTHER CONTROL MEASURES: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE By Dr. Mohammed Dantani Saidu DVM,M.VSc FCVSN Deputy Director/Component Coordinator (Animal Health). Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness & Response Project. Presented at the Global Distance Learning Network Seminar Conference on HPAI Vaccination; March 19,2008.

2. INTRODUCTION • Nigeria historically has used vaccination to control major Transboundary animal diseases both in Livestock and poultry such as: • Rinderpest and CBPP through JP15 and JP28 • Newcastle, Infectious bursal Disease etc Vaccination was also used to control resurgence of Rinderpest in Nigeria in the 1980s.

3. INTRODUCTION contd • Before the incursion of Avian Influenza in Nigeria, the country has prepared a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response plan to deal with the disease; Vaccination is part of our Emergency preparedness and response plan.

4. VACCINES AND VACCINATION CONSIDERATION • Poultry population – 140million • Holdings/sectoral distribution • Commercial 25% • Semi-commercial 15% • Backyards 60% • Types of vaccines available • Vaccination strategies (Ring, Targeted and mass vaccination) • Quality of Veterinary services • Status of Vet infrastructures

5. VACCINES AND VACCINATION CONSIDERATION contd • Source of funding for vaccination and supporting logistics • Disease surveillance and DIVA • Implication of vaccination on international trade • Exit strategy

6. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED • Modified stamping out with payment of compensation to affected farmers to serve as an incentive for early reporting and therefore early reaction. Total compensation paid from inception of AI in Nigeria to date is N623,077,880 to 2733 affected farmers for 1,250,345 birds depopulated.

7. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd 2. Disease Surveillance • The existing surveillance network put in place by the Epidemiology unit of the Federal Department of Livestock was used for AI Surveillance. The project is currently expanding the network to cover the whole country through training and provision of facilities to an additional 774 surveillance agents.

8. AI status in Nigeria from inception to date • Total Number of suspicions = 1178 • Total Number of +ve cases = 298 • States with Suspicions = 32 + FCT • States with +ve results = 25 +FCT • LGAs with +ve results = 97 • Total depopulated Birds- 1,250,345 • Last Outbreak- 6th Oct,2007 at Nsugbe Village, Anambra East in Anambra State

9. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd 3. CAPACITY BUILDING • Several Trainings both incountry and overseas were conducted for both Federal, State, Universities and Private Vets. Today in each of the states of the federation there are Vets that have been trained in disease investigation, reporting, depopulation and decontamination

10. CAPACITY BUILDING contd Trainings and Meetings: • Over 50 National and State workshops on Emergence Preparedness Plan, Bio-security, Public Enlightenment etc for all stakeholders; • Participated in over 20 International Seminars/trainings. • Nigeria organised the 1st cross border meeting with the Republic of Benin and also attended the cross border meeting in Togo.

11. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd 4 Veterinary Stockpile A veterinary stockpile has been established both at the central and state level with assistance of USAID, FAO, China and other development partners.

12. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd 5 Movement Control. • During the implementation of our control strategies, control of movement of poultry and poultry products, and the lack of understanding and appreciation of the reasons and need for bio-security by small holder rural poultry farmers coupled with the absence of facilities at the rural household level to put in place appropriate bio-security measures were some of the major challenges we faced. • In addition we had resurgence of infection betwen Dec 2006- march 2007.

13. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd • In order to tackle the above challenges, we introduced some intervention which were specifically targeted at live bird markets and control posts. • Live bird market disinfection is being carried out on weekly basis by our field desk officers nationwide. The objective is to break the chain of transmission of the virus because live bird markets are a potential hub for AI.

14. CONTROL MEASURES ADOPTED contd • The control posts were also provided with disinfectants and sprayers to spray vehicles conveying poultry and poultry products from North to South and Vice Versa.

15. Conclusion • These interventions yielded dividends as the last outbreak of AI in Nigeria was reported in Oct, 2007 in Anambra State. • Vaccination remains one of the tools that we can use to control AI in Nigeria and we are looking forward to interacting with and learning from our colleagues in other countries who have successfully employed vaccination as a tool especially in the areas of • Improved efficacy of available vaccines • Ease of application in rural poultry • Exit plan