AVIAN INFLUENZA THREAT: IS IT ANOTHER ELITE NETWORK GAME?

Last month I wrote an article questioning about the role of elites on the current food situation in Africa as commented by a Tanzanian journalist. Previously, a hot debate on cultural change to non-hand shaking as a means to control avian influenza has been concluded. Comments from one of the contributors, a respected scholar (elite) has attracted my attention. Despite the fact that the Moderator decided not to publish his comments here are his views:

"ABOUT 5,400 PEOPLE die every year in Italy by normal influenza. And we keep
hugging, hand shaking, kissing and visiting each other. I do not understand why also communication initiative has fallen prey of this psychosis of the avian flu.

Is this a new WMD affaire? Who makes (a lot of) money out of this artificial generation of panic?

- The scientific complex: biologists, medical doctors, researchers: lots of congresses, meetings, scholarships, research grants, consultancies...

- The companies producing hardware, software and disposable chemicals and tools (gloves, shoes, glassware, etc.) needed in the labs, for both human and animal analysis...

- The vaccines industry... not exactly located in the poorest countries in the world.

Please try to analyze the hard facts and act consequently. And keep expressing your friendship, love, admiration and feelings with
a) hugs, b) kisses, c) hand-shaking, d) nose touching, etc. etc.

This world needs love and friendship, not artificial terror. (We had enough of it..!!!)

Truly yours,

Prof. ***************
DSEA - Facoltà di Agraria
Borgo XX Giugno 74
06121 Perugia
Italia
Tel. + 39.075.5856267
fax + 39.075.5856263
www.agr.unipg.it/dsee"

Nigeria, the first African country reported to be infected by the deadly virus has been awarded a credit of $ 50 from the World Bank to implement a project on the Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response. It aims to prevent the further spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to other parts of Nigeria not yet infected by the virus. Tanzanian Government has formed a Multi-sectoral National Task Force to coordinate the measures that alleviate the threat. The government is expecting to spend more than 800 million Tshs (about $ 0.69 million) to implement the National Avian Influenza: Emergency Preparedness and response Strategic Plan for this year alone.

A number of questions need answers: how much of this money goes to the areas that worried Professor and other concerned elites? Is there any logic in professor’s claim? Should we correlate the avian influenza on-goings and the costly millennium bug campaigns? Is this another game played by the “Trans-national Elite Coalition” on the expenses of the poor and poverty? Is this game (if so) similar to the millennium bug, origin of deadly HIV, drug companies imposed and other related threats going on worldwide?