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| Tracking the next pandemic: Avian Flu Talk |
Africa must fight bid flu itself |
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 Topic: Africa must fight bid flu itselfPosted: March 09 2006 at 11:43am |
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Africa must fight bird flu itself African countries should not rely on rich nations to help tackle bird flu, warns the World Health Organization.
During a visit to Kenya, WHO Director General Dr Lee Jong-Wook said that efforts must be stepped up to prepare for possible outbreaks. There have already been confirmed cases of the potentially-fatal H5N1 avian flu virus in Nigeria, Niger and Egypt. Dr Lee urged ministers across Africa to set aside national revenues for an emergency fund. He also warned that compensation was likely to be a big burden for African governments.
He said persuading small-scale African farmers to kill their flocks will not be easy. "There are small backyard flocks of chicken - the dilemma is how can we convince the village people to get rid of apparently healthy chickens," he told reporters in Nairobi. "I do not imagine the village people will cull, sacrifice their dozens of chicken on a promise that a certain day, they will be compensated." Earlier this week, Nigeria's government started to pay compensation to farmers whose poultry have been killed because of bird flu - although criticism from farmers has been strong that payments are inadequate. Nigeria was the first country to have confirmed cases of bird flu, and cases have spread across the country. Preparedness Dr Lee was speaking as the Kenyan health minister called for an extra three-quarters of a billion dollars in international help amid fears that avian flu could strike soon. But he suggested African nations should not depend on the $1.9bn dollars already pledged. "I know from experience that pledges are not payments... we are working on making the pledges real," he said. "I just cannot imagine that rich countries or donor countries will come to compensate for chicken which will be sacrificed in the backyard of some villages in some place in Africa," he warned. The BBC's Karen Allen in Nairobi says Dr Lee chose to come to Kenya because, he said, it is already shown a commitment for tackling bird flu by working closely with international agencies. Even so, insiders within the country's veterinary services claim public education is poor and the country is ill-prepared for a potential epidemic, our reporter says.
Kenya and neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania are considered high risk because they are on a major route for migrating birds. Although no cases have been confirmed here, recent scares have heightened awareness about the potential threat the avian flu virus poses. No human cases of the H5N1 strain have yet been found in Africa but the United Nations has warned of a possible regional disaster if the disease continues to spread. Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/4789012.stm Published: 2006/03/09 10:49:09 GMT © BBC MMVI bad news indeed other the other countries keeping the financies to help fight off BF in their own countries..sad indeed
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Doreen
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Joined: February 15 2006 Status: Offline Points: 18 |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 11:55am |
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We're screwed if the WHO says Africa is on it's own....
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Blessings,
Doreen |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 1:33pm |
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I'm afraid so, but I thought that was part of Who's job, they did the small pox all over the world, why not this?
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elbows
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 1:39pm |
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Money. Like any other institution, WHO can do nothing without money. And it could be said that they are more about monitoring and giving advise, than providing all of the actual activity on the ground.
I mean we cant expect WHO to become the Health Service that Africa hasnt got. Donor countries pledged money and these pledges havent been honoured yet. That is the disgrace here. And less than a year ao we had the feelgood musicfest that was Live8. It campaigned to reduce debt, and didnt ask the public for any money. Just months later there were some famines in parts of Africa that were killing kids. Now Africa needs help with fighting Bird Flu, governments around the world make the right noises, but where is the cash? WHere is Bob Geldorf and Bono? Pah! |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 1:40pm |
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The problem, if it gets entrenched won't be stoppable so they are going to save their resources for where it can make a difference. JMO... and it truly suxs the big one. But, if you had finite resources.... would you throw them into an abyss? |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 1:52pm |
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But, if you had finite resources.... would you throw them into an abyss? (quote)..I would throw them into preps... |
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Deej
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 1:59pm |
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wow sophia, thats so sad, true but sad... with so many "hot spots" where do you put your limited resources? this pandemic has become inevidable - at least for now in poultry and for the unfortunate people who become infected by them. with all the news of late it seems it will become a human pandemic-- so what is a "rich" country to do- help a country that needs it now -- or -- cover your own as best you can ?
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dee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:08pm |
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Dee... I know. For months I refused to look at Africa... the whole thing was just too overwhelming for me. The possible impending disaster just rips my soul to shreds. When I stop to think of what will happen on the African continent it's like I'm drowning. I have no answer and it is crushing to sit here and type it, as it was crushing to read the opening post. An entire continent, with uncounted human beings, who laugh and cry, hope and dream, written off. |
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virusil
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Joined: February 26 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 450 |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:14pm |
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 bill gates,might be the answer,ask him somebody ask the guy,he got billions
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ignorance.
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:19pm |
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I think he just donated 300 million to a charity or was it up to 900 million....it was on the news last month..so all his deductible charity money is gone...
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virusil
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:20pm |
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,this is the best with you know........shhhhhhh(silver bullet) |
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ignorance.
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Deej
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:32pm |
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you know its funny, i have been thinking about this with the only thought on how my family would get thru this, really can say i haven't given much thought to other people let alone other countries, but a sad horrible reality has set in. lots of people are going to die- children- maybe entire families. its just to much...
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dee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:33pm |
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I just wish I could help them, so very sad, but I guess it's Mother Nature's way of thinning us out. But It's always the poorest who pay the most....
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virusil
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:47pm |
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in ancient times rich one survived witha silver spoon instead of the wooden one, read between the line and this is facts,,,,,,,,,,,,,, |
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ignorance.
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meewee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 2:49pm |
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The implications of the WHO telling Africa that it is on it's own is very very ominous! This BF must have gotten out of hand and the officials are getting ready to run for cover! Like rats deserting a sinking ship! Meewee |
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God Bless us all!
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fritz
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Joined: February 04 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 332 |
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 4:03pm |
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My feeling's as of late are that of overwhelming sadness and futility and a sense that the entire planet is going through a metamorphosis of such magnitude the ramifications of which won't be fully understood for decades to come. This little virus is hopping across species and likely to continue infecting large populations with lightening speed making all living things on this earth victims of it's destruction. We are all interdependant on one another as the laws of nature and the food chain go and this balance is going to be knocked on it's a$$. I think to prepare as much as possible to try and ride it out is the prudent thing to do, and so I am, but I am also becoming more emotionally devastated with each day and startling news article that I feel surviving this just may be an impossible goal. What kind of future is possible? What is society going to look like with so many dead? Where is the food supply going to come from with contaiminated soil, water, animals, and insects? Are we each to turn our homes into a modern day Noah's arch? Obtain supplies to grow an edible vegetable garden in our livingrooms only to go mad from the isolation and loss of life? My head is spinning with the possible senarios and I'm begining to feel like a hamster on a wheel. Actually, they may be the filet mignon of the future. Better stop at Pecto to stock up! (Insanity has definitely flown in on the wings of bird flu here.) |
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"I am only one; but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Hellen Keller
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meewee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 5:14pm |
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Fritz ; I want you to know right now that I truly do understand how you feel! But I want you to answer for yourself The question that you asked above!.....Do you want to survive? If the answer is yes then do so! You are going to have to be able to adapt! Just like that little virus is doing at the moment! Adapt! You and your family can do this! You will NOT be the only survivours...we will, God willing be here also! Hold onto hope not despair. I WILL survive! Hey! I just want to be able to meet everyone here and have a BIG party at the end and celebrate our lives! Yes, there will be devastating losses...But you must focus on you and your family not being one of those! We are all in this together! OK? Meewee |
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God Bless us all!
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calendula
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 5:26pm |
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Fritz: I know very well what you are going thru, I get that way more or less sometimes, but I have realized long time ago that death is just around the corner ( Carlos Castaneda) and sits right next to you on mat at 24/7 ( I dont mean to sound weird) you will understand that you can only do what you can do. Self preservation is a natural instinct however, in the end we are to some extend in control of what happens to us,---you are doing what it is in your control, which is preparing, etc---what you can not control, well, I guess it is left to the higher authority whatever that might be. I have children, dogs, a husband, parents, and I am at the stage of reherasing mentally my reaction for when the time comes that I might get sick, they might get sick and die, no easy thing to caliber your mind to, may be I never will, but I am rehearsing and preparing my response to when it comes. May G-d have mercy on all of us. |
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I am not here to reason, I am here to create"
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Glow
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 5:39pm |
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Have you all noticed lately how often this phrase has been reported in news reports..."you are on your own". I think here in the USA most everyone could mangage to sustain themselves "on their own"...of course there are exceptions. But Africa is so poor. For years we have been hearing that Africa will be decimated by HIV....seems that this prediction may have to now be changed to read that H5N1 will decimate Africa. It truly saddens me and makes me feel hopeless for those people. It also makes me question our humanity when I hear that we are on our own. I do understand the financial aspects of it, but I can't help to feel a deep despair for human kind.
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meewee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 6:09pm |
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Make no doubt about this! I grieve deeply for every single life that has been lost and will be. Because in my mind there is no excuse...NONE! This all comes down to greed and money and ego's and power! And of course it is those that have the very least that suffer the most! AND THAT TRULY SUCKS!!! But I have been taught the hard wat that as much as I want this to be differently....in the present state of affairs; it will NEVER be so!
Meewee
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God Bless us all!
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Fiddlerdave
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 6:11pm |
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You are very mistaken, in my view, Glow. The USA will probably have much more trouble than some of the poorer countries. The infrastruture that allows everything to work here is very intricate, and frankly, very flimsy. And the rejection of coordinated planning between all levels will really make things worse. Perhaps worst of all, our health care system (if you can call it a "system") will disintegrate with any serious level of illness present (getting on to having 40 million without insurance now). Health insurance companies operate to make money, and when a pandemic hits, illness rates will ballon. Even a minor level will make those companies disappear (along with for-profit hospitals and life insurance at a larger level of death rate). A government takeover of the entire healthcare system will be required, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC! This will be chaos. (Most other industrialized ations will avoid the restructuring chaos, and just have to deal with being overwhelmed. Generally this will go better because of the higher efficiency of their systems, not to say it will go well, just better). Poor countries are already adapted to this level, except for losing chickens to eat (a serious blow), just more sick people on top of lots already. More suffering, but lower panic levels. Kaiser, which has seamlessly integrated the insurance and healthcare together, will have some systems in place to operate because they won't have to deal with the outside insurance confusion. Govenment will give billions into the hospital system. but the for-profit hospitals will just take the money and do what little they can get away with, pocketing most of the money (this comment being a personal view). I have noticed that constant refrain of "you are on your own". In small African countries, its understandable. For the USA government. given many 100's of billions of dollars "for our safety", what kind of comment is that on our return on investment? |
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Dave
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for us"! |
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meewee
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 6:15pm |
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Simply put!!! You get what you pay for and put up with!! Meewee |
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God Bless us all!
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outsidethecamp
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 7:26pm |
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Meewee...
Keep getting angry!  It's that fierce anger that helps us keep fighting for our families &, life itself, for that matter.It's dwelling on the world's depressive present state of things that paralyzes me. Like you, I truly hurt for mankind, but I can't stop the horrible things that are happening in the world today. I can try to prevent horrible things from happening to my family, however. Hoping we all stay fighting mad! God help us all... Peggy in MN |
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Jadeka
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Posted: March 09 2006 at 10:49pm |
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We should have hepled those countries way before this..
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Pasadena
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Posted: March 10 2006 at 12:42am |
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Is Africa uniquely on its own? Here in the USA we are increasingly being told that we should not expect the government to be able to handle all our needs in the coming bird flu pandemic. We will have to prepare and may be on our own. Whenever I have mentioned this type message to friends and acquaintances, I have drawn a blank stare, or a look that I am an extremist. It is something that most people do not wish to hear or grapple with. The breaking point in this attitude will be when we see large numbers of birds and the first Americans die of H5N1. Many will be furious when they hear (and realize for the first time) that their government tells them they are on their own.
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Glow
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Posted: March 10 2006 at 7:43am |
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I understand that "I" can't save the world....I have come to the understanding that all "I" can do is firstly make a difference in my families lives...and that is why I prep for this. I also feel that all "one" person can do besides help their family is to look towards perhaps one other person or one other family (whatever extra one can spare). And yes as someone has said...it can't be done because of money, greed, ego, anc control. But yet at "moments" of depression or of feeling overwhelmed, I fall back into feeling this sense of despair for the human condition. And as for the state of the USA during a pandemic, I too am worry like you all because I too read up on the "unprepareness" of our hospitals. I have taken to thinking that the best survival chance is to go into 100% isolation during this...my great grandmother talked about the "peste"...."plague" of 1918....I would never have thought I would too be talking about this and perhaps living it. And the memory that comes back over and over in my mind is her saying..."isolation" saved alot of us.
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endman
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Posted: March 10 2006 at 8:00am |
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This is bad for Africa poor people always left behind. Too bad they don’t have OIL
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meewee
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Posted: March 10 2006 at 8:04am |
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They do have oil Endman...Nigeria is going through some pretty bad times right now with kidnapping foreign engineers and such over the oil companies not sharing the wealth with their countrymen! Meewee |
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God Bless us all!
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Something is going on and the pressure cooker is getting ready to blow IMO!