Animal Medicines Australia, the peak industry body representing the leaders of the animal health industry in Australia, welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement of an additional $95 million in funding to prepare and protect against high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.
The funding package includes provisions for an increase to Australia’s national biosecurity response capability and improved surveillance, as well as to boost biosecurity and scientific capabilities, including procuring vaccines for use in some captive threatened bird species.
As Australia remains the only continent free of this particular strain, the announcement outlines a number of biosecurity and environmental measures in the case of its arrival. Australia has so far escaped H5N1, however other strains such as the H7 group have affected commercial egg production in multiple states leading to warnings that H5N1 is not far from our shores.
The government announced on Sunday it would fund a host of initiatives designed to prevent or reduce the impacts of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in Australia, which has not yet been detected in the country but has caused higher mortality and severe disease in birds and other animals globally.
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza presents a real and significant threat to Australia’s agriculture sector.
Impacts already felt in Australia from other strains of bird flu highlight the need for continued funding in national preparedness.
Animal Medicines Australia Executive Director, Ben Stapley, noted the role the animal health sector has in protecting Australia’s bird population.
“HPAI presents a clear risk to the health and welfare of poultry and native birds. Australia’s animal health sector is providing tools that help protect our birds with a range of products that advance their health in the face of this, and other, biosecurity risks,” said Mr Stapley.
“We welcome efforts by government to enhance the HPAI response with needed, targeted investment in preparedness and response strategies and responses.”
The funding will be invested across increasing national biosecurity response and surveillance, coordinated communications, enhanced wildlife surveillance, accelerated protective action for threatened species and strengthening public health preparedness.