The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is part of the United Nations’ emergency programs, recently received contributions from Belgium to finance an emergency project in the Gaza Strip that will improve domestic food production and fight against avian influenza.
The funds, which amount to $475,000, will help the organizations support household and institutional resilience after the region experienced natural and man-made shocks. The funds will also help the veterinary and animal health services unit of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture to respond to the avian influenza outbreak occurring throughout the Gaza Strip. The emergency response requires laboratory materials, supplies and technical veterinary expertise.
The goal is to prevent the illness from spreading and causing new avian influenza cases. The staff will implement the standard operation procedures of the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure the safety of the people in the Gaza Strip.
The various aspects of the emergency response will allow staff from the Ministry of Agriculture to humanely maintain control over the avian influenza outbreak. They will cull the area of infected birds and disinfect the areas adequately and punctually. These steps will help to diagnose avian influenza quickly while also serving to zone and maintain active surveillance.
