Human health dependant on health of plants, animals: Sindh CM
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has urged the livestock department to ensure food security in the province.
“It is assumed that more than 70% of infections in human beings have been contracted from animals,” he said at the inauguration ceremony of the Sindh Institute of Animal Health in Karachi’s Korangi on Thursday.
The world has been working on the One-Health concept which states that the health of humans was dependent on the health of plants and animals.
Shah pointed out that the Sindh Livestock and Fisheries Department has dealt with three major production subsectors i.e. livestock, poultry, and fisheries. These have been responsible for providing milk, meat, and fish.
In this regard, timely diagnosis of diseases has been of prime importance.
The chief minister stressed the importance of investments in this sector to ensure food security and poverty alleviation. “Despite harbouring huge livestock population, Pakistan still witnesses a deficiency in milk and meat production resulting in import of huge quantities of dry milk powder,”
Shah said that Pakistan has huge export potential in halal markets. The prevalent Foot Mouth Disease (FMD) has, however, led to bans on the export of meat and milk to most developed countries.
“Therefore, there is a need to control FMD through vaccination by establishing an FMD vaccine manufacturing plant in Sindh,” he added.
The chief minister directed the livestock and fisheries department to introduce a scheme to install refrigeration systems in the storage tanks of boats fishing in the deep sea. “This will help keep the entire catch safe and healthy,” he said.
