PESHAWAR, March 8: A provincial government official has said that the province is free from the bird flu pandemic and all measures are in place to cope with any eventuality in this regard.

Rumours about the prevalence of the disease in the province were baseless, said Dr Muqarrab Ali Khan, Director of the Livestock Department, while talking to reporters here on Thursday.

About the measures taken by the government to prevent the disease, he said a special committee, headed by the secretary livestock, was holding monthly meetings to review the situation regarding the disease. He said the committee also reviewed reports from the various districts.

He said all the districts had been linked to a Crisis Management Centre set up at the Veterinary Research Institute in Peshawar to cope with any eventuality.

A modern laboratory had also been established in Abbottabad, he said.

Dr Khan said his department had provided training to its staffers and the workers of 400 poultry farms in the province.

He said samples from poultry and domestic chicken were being tested.

He informed that bird flu vaccine was being manufactured locally and was available at the Veterinary Research Institute in Peshawar.

He advised the people to use chicken and eggs without any fear.

APP adds: Addressing as chief guest at the opening ceremony of an orientation training programme arranged by the Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP) in Peshawar, Dr Khan urged the trained livestock assistants to help and support the rural population to change their socio-economic condition by exploiting their potential.—Correspondent