Srinagar, Feb 27(KNS): Principal Secretary Animal, Sheep Fisheries and Transport Department today said department will soon start Animal birth control- Anti Rabies (ABC-AR)programme in all districts of J&K.
The initiative is aimed to keep a check on the rising dog population, he said.
Dr Samoon made these remarks during training cum seminar on Emerging diseases and role of veterinarians under centrally sponsored scheme-ASCAD which was organised by Institute of Animal health and Biological Prodcuts Zakura here.
The programme was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Shahid Choudhary, Director Animal Husbandry Department Kashmir Dr Purnima Mittal, CEO Livestock Development Board Dr Satish Razdan, Joint Director Institute of Animal health and Biological Prodcuts Zakura, Joint poultry project Hari Parbat, chief Husbandry officers of Kashmir division, Deputy Director, Publicity Officer.
During the seminar papers were also presented papers on the theme of emerging Zonotic disease and role of veterinarians and medicos.
Dr Samoon stressed on the need for closer collaborations between veterinarians, physicians, and public health professionals in individual health, population health, and comparative medicine research.
“In the individual health setting, assessing the potential for zoonotic disease transmission from animals to humans should include input from physicians and veterinarians, especially for patients at high risk. In population health, zoonotic disease threats should be addressed through surveillance systems that include domestic and wild animal and human populations, which would help lead to effective control measures,” he said.
“Since physicians and veterinarians would be the key professionals to recognize and report outbreaks, enhanced communications between hospital epidemiologists, veterinarians, and local officials would not only help expedite a local response, but also help identify whether unusual diseases or outbreaks involving animals and humans were related or separate events,” he added.
He also impressed on the collaboration between physicians and veterinarians in comparative medicine that would help in improving understanding of zoonotic agent-host interactions.
During his speech, Dr Samoon said during the implementation of a control programme, constant surveillance is imperative for monitoring and evaluation purposes and to supply reports on any unforeseen occurrence of diseases or significant changes in epidemiological patterns.
He added that for surveillance system to be effective, reliable information on specific diseases must be readily available so that data can provide "information for action.
Dr Samoon also stressed on the augmentation of laboratories of the department with manpower and required diagnostic equipments. (KNS).