Barbados is preparing for the possibility
of an avian flu (bird flu) outbreak hitting the island by
stockpiling drugs, such as Tamiflu, to treat the virus.
Prime minister Owen
Arthur said that his government had decided to deploy resources now
rather than adopt a wait-and-see policy in the face of the
threat.
Arthur said he
had given permission to his minister of health to pay to stockpile
the drugs now so the country
would be ready if the virus reached the island.
Although Barbados
chief medical officer Dr. Joy St. John has found no evidence of
bird flu on the island, she said there had been discussions last
year about what should be done if bird flu turns from being an
animal virus to a virus that can easily pass from human to
human.
Barbados move to
stockpile Tamiflu -- the drug that experts believe is the most
effective in treating bird flu in humans -- mirrors actions
underway in many other countries around the globe where demand for
the drug is increasing.
Although Tamiflu
may help humans fight the virus, scientists pointed out that there
is no human vaccine for the spreading strain of bird
flu.
To contact
the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Gay Nagle Myers
at [email protected].