Africa-Press – Liberia. Residents of Bahn City in Nimba County are said to be living with fear following the mass death of chickens and ducks in the area. By Festus E. Frazer with Journalists for Human Rights
The animals, about 50 in numbers were owned by the residents. They all died about a week ago in one of the neighborhoods called Koluo Community, leaving residents in shock as they have never seen such mass death of domesticated animals in their area.
The District Health officer (DHO) of the area, Abraham Kargbo, told FrontPage Africa that one of the dead animals was sent to the Ministry of Health in Monrovia for testing. Mr. Kargbo said in the wake of the unprecedented event, he immediately instructed the District Surveillance Officer to organize a team to bury the dead animals with a warning that they should not be eaten.
FrontPage Africa has reached out to the Ministry, but it is yet to confirm the DHO’s account. The Ministry’s Communications officer, Felicial Gbesioh said she came across the news on Facebook but was not aware that specimen of one of the dead animals is being tested by the Ministry. She promised to inquire from relevant officials and return with more substantive answers.
Back in the Bahn, residents there are anxious and awaiting results from Monrovia. “We have been waiting for the results since we were told that specimen was taken to Monrovia. Every day, our people are expressing fear because they have not seen anything like this before,” said Africanus Kweahmie, the Mayor of Bahn City.
“For chickens and ducks to just turn around for few seconds and died is a strange thing. And we hope the Ministry will bring the result as soon as possible to ease the citizens’ fear. We are already facing another health crisis, which is COVID-19. That’s why we are concerned.”
The incident has also caught the attention of the district’s lawmaker, Representative Roger S. Domah. In a brief chat with FrontPage Africa from Monrovia, Rep. Domah said he will engage relevant authorities to establish the cause of the mass death of the animals.
Meanwhile, the unprecedented event is happening at a time the country is grappling with COVID-19. The Ministry of Health, with support from its partners is intensifying its fight against the pandemic with the supply of the vaccines across the country.
Recently, the Nimba County Health Team received a consignment of the J.&J. vaccines and has since began administering in several parts of the county. Health authorities from Nimba and the Central office in Monrovia will be hoping that this latest incident is brought under control.
This story was produced with support from Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), through the Mobilizing Media in the Fight Against COVID-19 in partnership with FrontPage Africa
