Harare — Ministries of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development and Health and Child Welfare have teamed up to fight avian and Swine flu outbreaks as Government intensifies efforts to combat occurrence of the flu in the country.

Addressing a Press conference in Harare last week, deputy director of disease prevention and control in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Portia Manangazira, said the integration was meant to pool resources and co-ordinate initiatives.

"Because the H5N1 (avian flu) and the H1N1 (swine flu) originated in animals but ended up in humans, we require an integrated approach to respond to the two outbreaks effectively. There are several other animal diseases such as anthrax that can also affect people, therefore, the need for our two ministries to work together," Dr Manangazira said.

The first case of swine flu in Zimbabwe was recorded in April and no case of avian flu has been recorded.