By Zafar Samdani

A few weeks back, the federal government had announced the launching of media campaign to allay the apprehensions of the public about the consumption of poultry and poultry products so that the impression that they are harmful to human health is dispelled.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of outbreak of Avian Influenza in some far eastern countries, the US and Mexico and due to a few cases of H-7 and H-9 in Karachi towards the end of the last year. That had put many people off poultry products and created a scare about after-effects of consuming them.

Avian Flu swept a number of countries during the past few weeks and so far about 22 deaths have been reported because of the epidemic in poultry. The countries affected by the disease destroyed large stocks of poultry and imports from them were banned almost across the globe.

Pakistan has however not been an importer and there seems little reason to think that the epidemic had spread to the country but reports of culling of birds and loss of human life inevitably had an impact on local consumption of poultry and consequently on the poultry sector that counts for an official investment of about Rs. 60 billion and employs a large number of veterinary specialists and workers.

The sector is a component of Pakistan's agriculture that is regarded as the backbone of the national economy. It would not be wrong to describe poultry as the backbone of the farming population.

It is easy for rumours to reach people; they hit poultry business in Pakistan much harder than the epidemic. As a result, sale of poultry and its products came down steeply and mutton and beef prices registered a quick and frightening rise.

The public, already suffering from a lack of proteins in its food, was vastly affected, particularly children, as eggs are a basic part of their diet, not that they are available to every child.

The only way to counter rumours and negative developments building confidence of the people is by undertaking a vigorous media campaign but unfortunately the federal government did not deliver its promise and provincial governments, particularly that of Sindh, that has been the hardest hit by the suspicion of spread of Asian Flu, also did not take up the issue.

This is not to exonerate the Poultry Association of Pakistan of its responsibility, more so as a campaign was in its own interest. Such organizations do not lack requisite resources for protecting their interests and should be geared for meeting emergencies.

Its office bearers and leaders restricted themselves to complaining against the government's apathy towards the plight of their sector instead of launching their own campaign to protect the poultry industry.

Some of their grievances were admittedly not misplaced. The ban imposed on inter-province movement of poultry substantially undermined poultry business in the Sindh province where the bulk of the industry is located in Hub district that falls under Balochistan and supplies birds and eggs to hotels in Karachi. Timely intervention was indicated but that did not take place.

The government is expected to be more alive to such issues and is required to take and implement decisions without loss of time. The declaration of FAO and WHO describing Pakistan safe from the epidemic should have been widely publicized.

The problem has hurt the industry in Punjab too but comparatively much less in view of the fact that no case of any kind of Asian influenza was reported in the province.

However, despite that, the price of poultry came down considerably and those of mutton and beef rose. This was surprising as meat requirements are reduced after Eid Ul Azha.

The phenomenon is attributed to relatively scuttled consumption of poultry due to Flu rumors though 'white meat' has become popular with consumers as it is recommended by many physicians for health reasons and in view of the lower cost of bird meat.

Fortunately, the rumours did not reach rural Pakistan and people in smaller cities did not react to reports of the flu in foreign courtiers. The rural economy would have been seriously impaired if reports of the flu had spread to villages where small farmers subsidise their income by breeding poultry that serves for food as well.

Strangely, the Pakistan Medical Association has been more active on this front than organizations linked with poultry. A number of doctors have stepped forward to clear the airs of possible after affects of consuming poultry products and thus helped the industry from greater losses.

Some minister also played a useful role by getting their photographs printed in newspapers that showed them consuming poultry based food. That had a positive impact and one wishes such activities were vastly disseminated by electronic media, particularly state sector PTV.

Otherwise, by and large, the governments, both federal and provincial failed to provide leadership and protection to the poultry sector at a time when it badly needed state support.

The government also failed on another count. European Union banned pet birds from nine Asian countries in the aftermath of Avian Influenza. EU's list included Pakistan also.

While names of countries hit by the epidemic are understandable, Pakistan featuring on the list informs of a lack of interest in the issue by concerned embassies.

There is no reason why Pakistan should have made the list of banned countries. This would not have happened if diplomats posted in EU countries had made an effort, particularly as India, another country of the region, was not placed on the banned list.

The embassies should have convinced governments of EU members that FOA and WHO have cleared Pakistan as safe from the epidemic. Pakistan does not have any export of pet birds to these countries but such incidents impair the country's image that could do with help at any given time and needs support from every corner at this point in time.

DAWN NEWS