- Busia has reported no confirmed bird flu cases for three years.
- County officials are expanding poultry disease surveillance and testing.
- Trained officers and partners are supporting early disease detection.
Busia County has intensified its monitoring of live bird markets for Avian Influenza, with local officials crediting the effort for keeping the county free of confirmed cases for three consecutive years.
The update came during a recent review session led by Dr George Mukok, the County Executive Committee Member for Smart Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Blue Economy and Agribusiness. Mukok praised the officers involved for their commitment to the surveillance work and encouraged them to keep up the collaborative approach that has underpinned the programme so far.
He also directed that the county’s diagnostic laboratory expand its capacity to test for a wider range of livestock diseases. Mukok said this expansion should form part of a longer-term plan to establish Busia as a referral facility for veterinary diagnostics within the wider region, supporting a more resilient farming sector.
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The surveillance drive is being run by the county’s Veterinary Directorate under the Department of Smart Agriculture, working alongside Washington State University and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The partnership focuses on catching signs of disease early and strengthening the county’s ability to respond quickly to any outbreak.
Clean track record and trained staff
Monitoring data reviewed by the department shows no confirmed Avian Influenza cases in Busia over the past three years. Officers stationed in the markets under surveillance have also completed specialised training, equipping them to detect and respond rapidly should a threat emerge.
Officials say the combination of consistent surveillance, trained personnel and international technical support has positioned the county well to safeguard both public health and local poultry trade going forward.
By Benedict Aoya
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