Malawi's Agriculture Minister Uladi Mussa says Africa is not prepared to fight bird flu.

Mussa told a 19-nation bird flu conference in Malawi Monday that the lack of knowledge among health officials is as dangerous as the lack of resources.

United Nations Food and Agriculture official Mazlan Jusoh said most African nations are free of bird flu for now, but says they must boost surveillance.

He said poverty and inadequate medical and veterinary services make Africa vulnerable.

The deadly H5N1 bird flu strain has been found in birds in five African nations (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Niger, and Nigeria).

Meanwhile, Pakistan said Monday it killed more than 40,000 chickens after bird flu was found on several poultry farms near Islamabad.

Bird flu has killed 113 people worldwide since 2003 - mostly in Asia.