Efforts Afoot To Uplift Livestock Sector By Improving Vaccination, Control Diseases

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) Minister for National food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain on Monday reiterated the firm resolve of the

government to uplift livestock sector by strengthening vaccination system for eliminating different diseases of the animals from the country.

He said that the government was also take appropriate measures and provide technical supports to livestock farmers for the uplift and development of the local livestock sector to achieve sustainable agricultural growth by enhancing farm productivity.

Addressing a workshop held here to control and eradicate PPR, the minister said that the government has launched a national program to eradicate this disease with the support of provincial governments, adding that provided free vaccination of sheep and goats under this program.

He said that due to the integrated strategy of the national and provincial governments, the rate of PPR disease has decreased significantly, adding that the Federal government has provided 31.35 million doses of PPR vaccines to the provinces during the year from 2022-24.

The Veterinary Research Institute Lahore had manufactures about 20 million doses of vaccines annually for the Punjab province, he said adding vaccination teams of provincial livestock department are engaged in village-to-village vaccination campaign.

The minister further said that the Pakistan has signed a global agreement to end PPR by 2028 and the government was ensuring all necessary measures to protect animals from diseases to enhance local output of livestock in order to fulfill meat and dairy requirements.

Rana Tanveer sheep and goat production provides livelihood to millions of rural families, adding that controlling the disease will increase the productivity of mutton and goat milk, besides it would create a strong, healthy future for livestock sector of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Livestock Muhammad Akram said that the main objective of the event was to create awareness among the stakeholders and strengthening government's efforts to control and eliminate the disease to develop the local livestock sector.