Lok Sabha Question No. 2966 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Awareness about bird flu
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Kishan Kapoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2966 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH MARCH, 2021

## AWARENESS ABOUT BIRD FLU

## 2966. SHRI KISHAN KA POOR:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  any guidelines  to  States/UTs  for  creating  awareness among people about epidemic like Bird Flu; and

- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)& (b): Bird Flu being a zoonotic disease, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying a Fisheries (DADF) has issued an Action Plan for Prevention, Control & Containment of Avian Influenza in 2021.

Additionally, other measures taken by Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying to create awareness about epidemic like bird flu and to prevent the spread of Bird Flu includ -

- Advisories issued to States / UTs for increased surveillance and biosecurity in farms before onset of winter due to arrival of migratory birds during winter
- Guidelines issued to States / UTs for control and containment of bird flu as per the ion Plan which include increasing surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, poultry farms, etc., proper disposal of carcass, strengthening of biosecurity in an poultry  farms,  restricting  movement  of  poultry  from  infected  zones  and taking preparatory  measures,  viz.    maintaining  sufficient  stock  of  PPE  kits  and  access disinfectants and other logistics required for control operations
- Setting  up  central  control  room  to  monitor  daily  progress  of  preventive  and  co measures ta ken by States / UTS
- In coordination with National Disaster Management Authority, meetings held with St UT  Animal  Husbandry  and  Health  Departments  to  assess  status  of  preparedness  and providing required support.
- Requesting States / UTs to ensure eff ective communication and coordination with Health and Forest authorities for close vigilance of the disease status to avoid any ch jumping of the disease into humans.
- Provision of funds made for carrying out surveillance, awareness generati pro curement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), control and containment operations, compensating poultry farmers whose birds are culled or eggs and poultry destroyed by the State / UT Sensitization and awareness generation of poultry fa and  gene ral  public  on  Bird  Flu  through  various  social  media  platforms  includi Facebook / twitter etc.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has developed and issued a Contingency Plan f Management  of  human  Cases  of  avian  Influenza  in  December  2005.  The  plan  i ncludes  case definition of avian influenza in humans, guidelines for specimen collection from human ca avian influenza, guidelines for cullers, chemoprophylaxis and case management guidelines of  personal  protective  equipment  and  Do's  and  Don'ts for  Community.  Food  Safety  and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also issued a detailed guidance note on safe ha processing and consumption of poultry meat and eggs during bird flu outbreak.