Malawi’s border officials to be taught combat avian flu

US Public Affairs Officer John Warner said on Thursday that there was need for Malawi’s local officials and health surveillance assistants from key cross border areas to be provided with fundamental knowledge and skills on how to combat avian flu in the border areas of the country.

Warner said in Lilongwe that his government would conduct a series of courses in the border districts of Mchinji, Karonga, Mulanje and Mwanza to help combat the disease which mainly attacks poultry, birds as well as human beings.

\"We would like to work with Malawi on the preparedness of this disease, mainly in the border areas, because the disease has not yet reached Malawi but it can be migrated from other countries,\" he said.

He said the programme would also include a component on how to communicate effectively to people regarding prevention and control of the deadly disease.