Avian Influenza in Iraq: Protocols and Regional Comparisons
Dr. Majed Hamed Al Saegh / poultry pathologist / Australia
Introduction
Avian influenza (AI) poses a significant threat to Iraq’s poultry industry, a vital component of the country’s agricultural sector. This report reviews Iraq’s protocols for managing AI outbreaks and compares them with those of neighbouring countries, highlighting differences in regulations, strategies, and outcomes.
Iraq’s Protocols
Despite efforts, Iraq faces challenges in developing a comprehensive and sustainable regulatory framework to combat AI. The main components of Iraq’s response include:
Surveillance and Reporting: Iraq has implemented surveillance systems to monitor AI outbreaks in poultry farms. However, the lack of advanced diagnostic infrastructure hinders early detection.
Reporting systems are primarily reactive, relying on reports from farmers, which can delay interventions.
Culling and Compensation: Infected and at-risk poultry are culled to contain outbreaks. However, Iraq has limited financial resources to compensate farmers, discouraging timely reporting of cases.
Vaccination Programs: Vaccination campaigns are conducted sporadically and lack the systematic approach seen in countries like Egypt or Saudi Arabia. These efforts face logistical and financial challenges.
Public Awareness and Education: Efforts to educate farmers and the public about AI prevention and safe poultry handling practices are limited compared to extensive public awareness campaigns in other countries.
Cross-Border Coordination: Iraq’s collaboration with neighbouring countries to manage AI is minimal, increasing the risk of uncontrolled spread through trade and migratory birds.
Comparison with Regional Countries
Regulatory Framework and Coordination:
Turkey has a well-defined regulatory framework, including a Crisis Coordination Committee that facilitates swift and coordinated responses to AI outbreaks. Iraq, in contrast, lacks a centralised authority for crisis management, leading to fragmented responses.
Saudi Arabia enforces strict biosecurity measures and active surveillance systems, which are not yet fully developed in Iraq.
Surveillance and Reporting: Iraq relies heavily on farmer-reported cases, compared to the active surveillance systems in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which enable earlier detection and containment.
Vaccination Programs:Egypt conducts systematic vaccination campaigns to control AI outbreaks. Iraq’s efforts are sporadic and constrained by limited resources.
Culling and Compensation:Unlike Egypt, which provides compensation to farmers for culled poultry to encourage reporting, Iraq lacks effective compensation mechanisms, potentially delaying outbreak containment.
Public Awareness: Iraq falls behind countries like Egypt, where public awareness campaigns are a key part of AI management. Turkey’s transparent communication strategies also outshine Iraq’s limited efforts in this area.
Cross-Border Collaboration:Iraq’s limited cross-border collaboration contrasts with Jordan’s active efforts to coordinate with neighbouring countries for monitoring and managing AI outbreaks.
Conclusion
Iraq faces significant challenges in managing avian influenza due to limited resources, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. Compared to countries like Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, Iraq’s protocols are less comprehensive, particularly in surveillance, vaccination, and public awareness. To improve its response, Iraq could benefit from:
- Strengthening its regulatory framework and centralising AI management.
- Enhancing surveillance systems and diagnostic capabilities.
- Expanding vaccination campaigns and ensuring compensation for affected farmers.
- Increasing public awareness initiatives to promote safe poultry handling practices.
- Establishing cross-border collaborations to manage AI effectively on a regional scale.
