India develops vaccine against bird flu, claims disease free status

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) India has developed a vaccine against avian influenza and would claim a disease-free status from August 10, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

Mr Pawar gave this information to mediapersons after two-day Conference of Ministers of Health and Agriculture/ Livestock on Avian Influeza Control and Pandemic Preparedness in Asia organised by the WHO and the Indian Government.

The prototype vaccine against bird flu has been developed by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research's High Security Animal Diseases Lab in Bhopal. ''At present the field trials are on and soon the vaccine specific for Indian strain which would protect poultary from H5N1 virus infection and it would be given soon to a private company for commercial production, he said.

At present five to seven Multi-National Companies are producing vaccine against avian influenza in birds. There is no vaccine against the virus in humans. Hhowever, field trials of a couple of potential vaccines for humans are currently being done in some countries.

Mr Pawar said the avian influenza, which played havoc with the economy of the country earlier this year, has been effectively contained and India has remained free from the disease for the past three months.

''We have applied for disease-free status from the IOE and as the country is following every norm, we are expected to get the status from August 10. This would enable the country to restore export of poultary products which was stopped after the infection was first detected,'' he added.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation, about 200 million birds were culled in the South East Asia region resulting in the cumulative loss of billions of dollars. It has urged International Organisations and donor countries to provide 300 million dollars to fight the diease.

However, till now only about 92 million has been committed by to fight the pandemic.

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said India was able to contain avian influenza due to the emergent steps taken and coordinated measure taken by the Department of Animal Husbandary Department in coordination with the Health Ministry. He said India could now share its experience with other countries to help them contain the infection.

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