ABSTRACT
The issue of information in public management has been a sensitive area for many reasons. This chapter describes a case in which a virus that was known to be transmitted among birds and poultry led to death in humans. Increased accessibility to information and the emphasis on public education has widened the government's role as a responsible disseminator of vital health news. Management of public health is one of the most important tasks of modern governments. The formulation of public policies is influenced by numerous considerations, and errors of judgement in anticipating problems and ensuring adequate measures can lead to criticism. The government was clearly perplexed with the task of addressing public anxiety over the crisis. Extermination of the entire chicken population in the interest of public health would make the government liable for paying compensation to the poultry industry.
