OUAGADOUGOU — The Burkinabe government has officially declared May 15 as a public holiday dedicated to the celebration of the nation’s customary and traditional practices. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to reinforce the secularism of the state and reestablish the significance of traditional religion in society.
According to Burkina Information Agency, from now on, every May 15 will be observed as a day to commemorate Burkina Faso’s rich customs and traditions. Emile Zerbo, the minister in charge of religious affairs, emphasized that the decree aims to affirm the state’s secular nature while allowing traditional religion to reclaim its influential role in society.
Zerbo further confirmed that May 15 is now an official public holiday, marking a significant step in recognizing and celebrating the cultural heritage of Burkina Faso.
OUAGADOUGOU — A new outbreak of avian flu was quickly identified and extinguished in Ouagadougou, as announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal, and Fishery Resources, Commander Ismaël Sombié, on Wednesday. The ministry disclosed this development in a press release dated March 6, 2024, highlighting the rapid response to the emergence of the disease on March 1, 2024, in sector 23 of district 5 of the commune of Ouagadougou, province of Kadiogo, in the central region.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Animal and Fisheries Resources, the new outbreak’s swift containment follows a period of vigilance that began after all previous outbreaks had been declared extinguished as of January 23, 2023. Burkina Faso had been in the process of self-declaring as a country free of avian flu when the new cases appeared.
The effective response by veterinarians allowed for the rapid implementation of adequate measures to extinguish the outbreak. However, Minister Sombié urges breeders to remain vigilant due to the disease’s severity. He reassured the public that appropriate monitoring measures are in place to prevent any resurgence of the disease and the emergence of new outbreaks.
Furthermore, the Minister calls on stakeholders in the poultry sector and the general population to report any instances of mass mortality among domestic and wild birds to the relevant services promptly. This call to action is part of a broader effort to maintain vigilance against avian flu, which caused significant losses in 2022, with 681,450 poultry deaths across 12 regions of Burkina Faso.