Bali government take steps to eradicate bird-flu

The Bali government has taken steps to monitor and control the resurgence of bird flu. News of bird flu, just like terror warnings and SARS, do not help the tourist industry, even though your chances of being directly affected by any of them are slim. Great to see the governor leading the fight against bird flu and restoring Bali’s international image. Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.

FAO helping Bali eradicate bird flu

DENPASAR (Antara): The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) helped set up participatory disease surveillance and participatory disease response after the death of two bird flu-related people recently in Bali, an official said.

“The two teams have 72 members. They have been placed in eight districts and one city,” Bali husbandry office spokesman Ketut Suarda said Sunday.

FAO also helped form a district surveillance officers team which is tasked to tackle animal health affairs, he said.

“Officials of the three agencies have already attended a coordinating meeting to take precautionary steps to avoid the bird flu virus from spreading further,” he said.

The government has set a target of turning Bali and West Java into model provinces in deadly bird flu handling program by 2008.

Bali governor Dewa Beratha has said his administration had earmarked Rp 1.9 billion for bird flu eradication program in the province.