RAWALPINDI, June 8: The government is negotiating with the World Bank for assistance worth $500 million to strengthen the country’s surveillance of avian influenza.

The World Bank considers Pakistan a high risk country, though no case of H5N1 infection in people has been reported so far.

In addition to seeking international assistance, the government is currently implementing a Rs40 million project to strengthen the surveillance and emergency preparedness for avian influenza, says the Pakistan Economic Survey released in Islamabad on Friday.

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has recommended an umbrella project worth Rs1,180.142 million to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.

Poultry sector continued to face challenges on account of avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Areas of Islamabad Capital Territory particularly Sihala, Tarlai and Chak Shahzad; Abbottabad; Mansehra and Rawalpindi have become suspected areas where the outbreak of bird flu occurs every year during February to May period.

The disease outbreak of 2006 in broiler, layer and breeder poultry farms affected 66 farms involving approximately 280,000 birds. The resurgence of disease in 2007 occurred in February 2007 in backyard poultry/zoo and commercial poultry in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Abbottabad and Mansehra.

So far there have been 26 recorded cases of H5N1 involving game birds (peacock, pheasants, pigeons, parakeet, wild crows, cranes, ducks peacock, partridge, parrots, chakor) and 40 backyard poultry and some commercial farms involving 33,400 commercial poultry (broiler/layer).

According to the survey, reports of outbreaks in birds are continuing on and off yet no human case has been observed or reported. Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock is monitoring the situation.