May 27: Poultry farmers, who have been affected by Newcastle disease among chickens, are now facing additional problem of bird flu. While 20 percent farmers have stopped poultry farming due to the outbreak of Newcastle disease, which has been reported since the last six months, frequent outbreak of bird flu has further troubled the farmers. Bird flu was confirmed in Tarkeshwor Municipality, Nakhu, Jajarkot and Surkhet. Recently, bird flu has been confirmed in turkeys raised by farmers in Kirtipur – 4 and 9, and Chandragiri – 2.

According to the Department of Livestock Services, bird flu was confirmed on Monday while testing samples through real-time PCR method at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Tripureshwor. Issuing a statement on Wednesday, the department said that the infection has been confirmed in chickens in the areas.

As soon as the disease was confirmed, domesticated birds and other contagious fowls were destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease from the area.

The spokesperson of the department, Dr Chandra Dhakal, said that they are not sure about financial losses of the farmers. According to Dhakal, the farmers will get 75 percent compensation from the government after the district rate-fixation committee determines the price of the destroyed chickens.

Meanwhile, 535 turkeys, 492 local chickens, 76 quails, 20 ducks, 178 eggs and 900 kg grains have been destroyed in the affected areas. The department also said that the affected areas have been completely disinfected.

While bird flu has been seen in chickens and turkeys in different parts of the country, the government has not shown much interest to step up the testing. Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had informed that there were not enough laboratories for testing when the infection was detected in Tarkeshwor last January.

Spokesperson for the ministry Dr Shree Ram Ghimire said that the inadequacy of the laboratory still persists. According to him, out of the eight laboratories that are  operational under the ministry, five laboratories are currently being used by the Ministry of Health for testing coronavirus. Only the remaining three are being used for testing bird flu samples. "It is not enough for us, but we have to give first priority to people," he said.

He pointed out that there could be problems for testing if laboratories are not added as soon as possible. Out of the total eight laboratories under the Ministry of Agriculture, only the Central Veterinary Laboratory at Tripureshwor is recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health. Stakeholders point out that although the disease is tested in other laboratories, they do not meet all criteria.