KARACHI, Feb 9: The country does not have a single decently equipped communicable diseases centre. Pakistan will, therefore, be hard pushed to cope with an epidemic involving an infectious disease should one rear its head.

This was stated by panelists at an awareness programme organized in the PMA House on Monday in connection with the recent outbreak of avian influenza which claimed the lives of more than three million poultry birds in and around Karachi.

Dr Altaf Ahmed of the Liaquat National Hospital and Dr Rumina Hasan and Dr Javed Hussein of the Aga Khan University fielded questions put by people from various walks of life. A presentation was also made on the occasion by Dr Rumina Hasan.

Some participants, mainly belonging to the poultry business, expressed dismay at the fact that the issue was, in their opinion, blown out of proportion, causing tremendous public confusion. Strong reservations were also expressed regarding hygienic standards maintained at the poultry farms.

The panelists recommended that medical examination of all poultry farm workers, without any distinction, be ensured on an annual basis. And the poultry be vaccinated against the commonly occurring types of avian influenza.

They tried to dispel the possibility of the killer H5N1 virus from striking any time soon. This virus can be transmitted from birds to humans and has already claimed at least 18 lives in two countries.

The panelists sought to make it clear that eggs and chicken meat were fit for human consumption. However, there was a need to adopt certain precautions like cooking poultry food for 10 minutes at 70 degrees Centigrade.

Due to the ongoing epidemic of avian influenza involving H5N1 strain in several Asian countries, Dr Rumina Hasan urged the people to be cautious while handling both live birds and poultry food.

Dr Altaf Ahmed said the virus of the H5NI variety could cause human infection only by contact with secretions of poultry or dust from the feathers. According to the experts, human-to-human transmission was extremely rare unless there was mutation of avian and human viruses. The possibility of such an occurrence, however, could not be ruled out among the Pakistanis.