Poultry farm workers believe bird flu is a myth

Despite the alarm generated by the outbreak of bird flu in the city, employees at poultry farms have done nothing about the unhygienic conditions of their workplaces. As they continue to function sans gloves, aprons and masks, a majority of these workers even believe that bird flu is a myth aimed at hurting their income.

They find it hard to believe the existence of a deadly disease that can be transmitted from chickens to humans.

Khalid Mehmood works at a poultry farm near Empress Market, Saddar. He slaughters hundreds of birds daily, and had no working schedule. "It all depends on demand and supply," he explained. Mehmood generally works 12 hours per day for Rs 12,000 per month. He also believes that he faces no danger in his trade.

With his hands and clothes smeared with blood, he claimed that he was not at risk of contracting bird flu because vaccination was carried out properly at his poultry farm. "We can't use gloves while slaughtering these birds," he claimed.

His assistant, 25-year-old Faisal, gets Rs 4,000 per month. Faisal believes that the stories about bird flu are all lies. "Reports about the outbreak of some deadly disease are rumours. There's no truth in them," he told The News.

Faisal maintained that such "rumours" always upset their income. "We shall be paid less if there is a drop in the sale of chickens," he said.