AVIAN INFLUENZA ZIMBABWE COUNTRY STATUS REPORT

1
AVIAN INFLUENZA ZIMBABWE COUNTRY STATUS REPORT

• Dr J Nyika, Dr SM Midzi, Dr O Kakono
• Roode Vallei Country Lodge
• Pretoria
• 7-9 March 2006

2
Presentation Outline

• Background
• Migratory birds
• Livestock farming systems
• Trade issues
• Country capacities
• Human Resources
• Diagnostics
• Infrastructure
• Preparedness
• Suspect Outbreak situations
• Challenges

3
Migratory birds

• Transcontinental migratory birds are said to be
  of very minor threat
• They maybe problems with regional migrators
  coming out of the Great Rift Valley
• We have few, if any, ducks and geese which are
  likely to be the major carriers of the disease

4
Livestock Farming Systems

• Vibrant well regulated industry
• Commercial and communal
• Beef, dairy, poultry, pigs
• Export of livestock and livestock products to the
  region and beyond

5
Trade

• International trade (Formal)
• The country exports
• Day old chicks
• Hatching (embryonated) eggs
• Table eggs
• And until recently poultry and ostrich meat.
• Beef
• Local Trade
• Animals and birds slaughtered at registered
  abattoirs are sold through the formal market.
• However there is informal trading at local level.

6
Capacity Human resources-Animal Health
Indicator Number
Veterinarians 75
Lab Technologists 33
Para-Vets 1 265
Research Scientists 8
7
Capacity-Human Resources-Human Health
Indicator Establishment Filled Vacant Ratio of filled posts
Doctors 1 557 770 787 49.5
Pharmacists 132 20 112 15.2
Pharmacy Technicians 185 72 113 38.9
Nurses 14 239 9 680 4 559 68.0
Radiographers 159 29 130 18.2
Hospital Equipment Technicians 95 40 55 42.1
Lab Scientists 385 263 122 68.0
Environmental Health Officers 1 599 753 846 47.1
8
Diagnostics-Animal Health

• The Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) that is
  ISO 17025 Accredited, employs an HAI test
• Determines the H and not N of the virus.
• Capacity to test at least 2 000 samples per day.
  
• Has validated and are using the AI ELISA.
• The lab is making efforts to develop molecular
  based techniques for the typing of the AI virus.
• CVL has put up a High Security Lab for dangerous
  pathogens but it needs EQUIPPING.
• They have received assistance from regional FAO
  AI TCP to acquire reagents and protective gear
• In addition to CVL a private laboratory,ZIMVET,
  has been accredited by Government to screen
  samples on their behalf using the HAI and ELISA.

9
Capacity-Diagnostics-Human Health

• Currently there is no capacity to test human
  samples in the country
• Relying on sending samples to RSA
• However the country has WHO accredited Virology
  lab for testing measles and polio viruses
• There is potential to capacitate the existing
  virology lab to test AI samples
• need to be pursued with assistance of WHO

10
Capacity-Infrastructure

• VETERINARY
• 8 Provincial Veterinary Offices
• 53 Field Veterinary Offices
• 308 Animal Health Centres
• 4 000 Dip tanks
• 1 Central Laboratory 4 Provincial Diagnostic
  Laboratories
• Virology and Bacteriology section have ISO 17025
  certification

• HUMAN HEALTH
• 6 Government Central Hospitals (all with Labs but
  no capacity for AI virus-testing)
• University Teaching Hospital has a WHO accredited
  regional Virology Laboratory (Measles and Polio)
  which can be improved to do AI testing.
• 10 Private Tertiary Hospitals
• 7 Provincial Hospitals
• 60 District Hospitals
• 17 Mission Hospitals
• 1 316 Rural/Municipal Health Facilities
• At least 15 Private laboratories

11
Preparedness

• National
• A multi-stakeholder National Taskforce on HPAI
  has been set up and is co-chaired by Veterinary
  Services (Ministry of Agriculture) and the
  Department of Disease Prevention and Control
  (Ministry of Health and Child Welfare)(MOHCW)  
• The Taskforce, which also includes Wildlife
  Management National Parks, Bird Groups, WHO,
  FAO, Ostrich/Pig Producers, Transport and
  Communications, Home Affairs and ZIMRA, meets
  once a month.
• Provincial and District Level
• Zoonotic subcommittees comprised of Veterinary
  Services and MOHCW meet quarterly but meets more
  frequently when necessary.

12
Suspect situations

• VETERINARY
• Wild birds
• Surveillance of wetlands (identified and mapped)
  by Wildlife Management and Parks
• Ostriches and Poultry
• Sero-surveillance
• Enforcement of Bio-security measures
• Movement control
• Establishment of disease free compartments
• Awareness programmes in the print and electronic
  media, extension by departmental staff and local
  government structures.

• HUMAN HEALTH
• Seasonal (May to September)-Weekly reporting of
  clinical Human Influenza cases in place from 750
  health institutions (representing 75 of all
  health facilities).

13
Outbreaks situations-Veterinary

• As soon as an outbreak is confirmed
• Properties are quarantined
• Screening and surveillance of birds in the whole
  country to establish extend of infection
• Mapping of problem areas
• Establishment of disease free compartments
• Movement control
• Suspension of exports
• Policy on control (slaughter, vaccination etc.)
  still to be developed
• Awareness programmes in the print and electronic
  media, extension by departmental staff and local
  government structures.

14
Outbreaks situations- Human Health

• A wide network of health facilities in place
  which are within 8km of any individual however
  there is a shortage of professional staff
  particularly in outlying rural areas.
• Shortage of suitable equipment, reagents and
  drugs will be a problem 
• Guidelines will be needed from the WHO on the
  management of HPAI in human beings

15
Challenges

• Demand for high insurance by health workers
  working in infectious disease hospitals remains
  unresolved
• outbreak experiences
• SARS
• VHF (Ebola,Marburg )
• Protective clothing
• Compensation for farmers of culled poultry
• Quarantine facilities are likely to be stretched
• Capacity to import
• Vaccines ,Osteltamivir(Tamiflu),Lab reagents
• In light of FC constraints