Poultry Disease Hits Farms in Rwanda

RWANDA - Poultry farmers from Rwamagana district are experiencing losses after an outbreak of coccidiosis, a lethal chicken disease, attacked their birds. Lack of information locally has led to concern among villagers that they might become infected from chickens at market.

24 January 2011

3 minute read

Africa

The rural farmers told The New Times yesterday that the outbreak of the disease, their birds are dying on a daily basis.

Andrea Mwiseneza, one of the farmers, said that the birds are a source of living for many families in Rwamagana.

He added that rural population relies on smallholder ‘family’ poultry production as their primary source of domestic animal protein.

“The disease affects our hens every year. There is no attention given to the local breed. Our veterinaries care for only the exotic birds, yet we get money and a living in the traditional poultry farming,” he said.

“We call upon the authorities to end this situation and start helping us.”

Jean de Dieu Ntirenganya, the district veterinary officer advised the farmers to buy medicine that is available in all local pharmacies as preventive or curative measure.

“At least every home in villages has a hen, but they do not care about treating them or not using traditional medication. So, when a disease attacks, they all die,” he said.

Charles Kirenga a resident of Rwamagana district, wondered whether the disease affects human beings.

He said that when they are buying hens to eat in a market, they cannot prove, if they are infected or not.

“I have a concern, if the disease affects humans, then we are in trouble. Other meat is tested before we buy, but chicken is not. So we need to know how safe we are,” he said.

Whenever there is an outbreak of such a disease, farmers carry their hens to public markets and sell them at give away prices.