Suspicion does not mean Confirmation

I do not know what to say except that I have been worried since I read the headlines of Al Wafd newspaper in the front page.

“The ministry of health hided 27 H5N1 human infection cases in 3 days !!”

Do not be shocked because inside you will find that Al Wafd newspaper claims that it has documents proving that the ministry of health had hided 27 H5N1 suspected infection cases in 3 days !! So all those 27 cases are suspected and were not declared to be H5N1 positive. This is silly and unscientific talk because from now and then we read in the newspapers about suspected cases across the country especially that the symptoms of H5N1 may start as severe flu.

The newspaper continues describing the spread of the disease as alarming and that there would be a cabinet meeting to discuss the situation .

Dangerous allegation to the health ministry for sure ; already it has not passed 24 hours when it issued a quick press release denying these allegations. It is clever and wise act from the ministry in order not to spread panic in the country because of these headlines. I understand the kind of worry of those who really care about the country but there is no use to spread panic in this way. Already the ministry of health can’t hide any case what so ever from the WHO. The WHO fears that fearful scenario would take place in Egypt thanks to the rapid infection rate in Egypt.

The government knows the challenge it is facing   currently and unfortunately it can’t act as it is doing with the rest of the problems in the country because this is time it is an international issue , the government is monitored internationally and this is why it is honest compared to other issues in the country , it is sad thing but true.

Ahmed Nazif ,the prime minister is thinking of a very dangerous decision that will make the people more mad and angry from him than they are already. The e-prime minister wants to ban raising domestic poultry !! I do not want to imagine how much anger this decision will cause  among the Egyptians especially in the country side and among the working classes who raise poultry as sort of cheap food and also a source of income. Yes domestic poultry is the source of infection in Egypt , the main source of infection but it is not like that Egyptians are the only people in the world who raise domestic poultry.

The e-cabinet can come with other solutions for sure including other substitute food price reduction !!

I believe what we suffer from is an awareness problem , you should increase the awareness campaigns outside Cairo ,go to the radio stations especially the Holy Quran radio station , the songs radio station and that new football radio station which I do not know its name. The preachers in Mosques and Churches in country side should speak about  H5N1 and how it is important to have the domestic poultry vaccinated and how it is more important to get rid from dead domestic poultry !!

Imposing ban on raising domestic poultry means forcing people to buy frozen poultry ,which is much more expensive than domestic poultry in a cost wise way; the Egyptians can’t take anymore economic burdens. Anyhow I do not expect that the people will even listen to this ban if it is imposed.

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