Media Statement about the Registration of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial Farms in Tennessee, USA, and Malaysian Province of Kelantain

Dr Majid Sultan Al Qasimi - Director of Animal Health and Development Department, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment

Dubai, UAE, March 29, 2017:  Based on the notification from the World Organization for Animal Health about the registration of highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial farms in Tennessee, USA, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCaE) took the following actions on 8/3/2017:

1. Prohibited the import of all kinds of live domestic and wild birds, ornamental birds, chicks, hatching eggs and their thermally untreated wastes from the US state of Tennessee. 
2. Prohibited the import of poultry meat and thermally untreated products and table eggs from the affected province of Lincoln in Tennessee.
3. Allowed the continued import of thermally treated poultry products (treated meat and processed egg products) and thermally treated poultry waste from across the United States of America.

Based on the notification from the World Organization for Animal Health concerning the registration of highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial farms in the Malaysian province of Kelantain, the Ministry took the following measures on 9/3/2017:

1. Prohibited the import of all types of wild and domestic birds, ornamental birds, chicks, hatching eggs and their thermally untreated wastes from the Kingdom of Malaysia.
2. Prohibited the import of poultry meat and thermally untreated products and table eggs temporarily from the infected province (KELANTAN).
3. Allowed the continued import of thermally treated poultry products (treated meat and processed egg products) and thermally treated poultry waste from all provinces of the Kingdom of Malaysia. 

It’s noteworthy that the Ministry is keen to raise the level of food safety and ensure the provision of safe food to the consumer.  It works to implement the Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on food safety, which applies to all establishments licensed to trade food or feed, and consignments coming to the country or passing through its territory.  

The law also applies in all stages of the food chain from primary production through processing until it reaches the consumer. The Ministry is responsible for standardizing and supervising food safety procedures in cooperation with concerned local food authorities. 

The Ministry is constantly working to develop the necessary policies, strategies and legislation to ensure food safety throughout the food chain and to regulate trade activities to enhance food security. It also supports the national economy by regulating food handling activities including import, export and re-export.

When a shipment of food products is received by the authorities in the country, the documents accompanying the consignments (certificate of origin, health certificate and other required certificates such as Halal certificate) are strictly verified. 

The authorities also screen the product identification cards to make sure it complies with UAE standards and examine samples of the food products through necessary laboratory tests to ensure that the food products are free from harmful substances or contaminants.