Oct 09, Colombo: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today handed over a real-time Polymerase Chain Reactor machine to the Veterinary Research Institute of the Ministry of Livestock Development, which will dramatically improve the Sri Lanka's ability to diagnose quickly any possible outbreak of avian influenza.

A press release by the USAID said since 2006, it has worked with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to increase Avian Influenza preparedness activities across the island, in collaboration with the Department of Animal Production and Health.

The program has strengthened Sri Lanka’s early warning and early reaction capacity and provided critical preparedness materials to government and private sector stakeholders in the poultry industry. In total, USAID has provided nearly $1 million towards preventing an incursion of Avian Influenza in Sri Lanka.