Three years ago, the threat of Avian Influenza loomed in Turkmenistan. Neighboring countries were struggling to contain outbreaks of this lethal disease. And Turkmenistan was an important stopover for thousands of migratory birds, which could carry the virus.
Thanks to Government efforts to contain and control the spread of the virus and prepare for a possible outbreak of Avian Influenza in people and animals, there have been no cases of Avian Influenza in the country to-date. The Government's program was carried out through support from the World Bank.
To prevent and control outbreaks in animals, better planning, coordination and surveillance was needed. So were faster and more reliable tests for the dangerous and infectious virus.