zonotic diseases

District Zoonotic control committee discussed various issues regarding zoonotic diseases at Chitral.
By: Gul Hamaad Farooqi
CHITRAL: District zoonotic control committee (DZCC) meeting was held at its office Live stock department premises under the chair of Dr Ajmal Khan District director live stock Chitral. The participants highly hailed establishment of Zoonotic disease diagnostic laboratory at THQ hospital Drosh which is a modern updated laboratory. As well as an FMD outbreak regarding diseases at animal at Mastuj was control with the help of Relief International (RI) where they provided free vaccine in bulk and arranged mobile teams to control outbreak. The DZCC meeting was attended by heads of all line department like health, police, Education, TMA, EPI,TB Control, PPHI and MNCH program etc. All the ZCC members highly appreciated the Relief International efforts and quick support regarding control of FMD. Dr. Waqar Public Health Officer of RI contributed that we have established libraries with necessary and relevant books at different schools of Chitral and have trained teachers to deliver sessions to the school students regarding zoonotic disease with public health aspects.
It was also discussed that anti rabbis vaccine is providing to health department by RI for free vaccination to dog biting patients and they urged on increasing of that ARV. The members of DZCC highly appreciated the efforts of RI regarding controlling of zoonotic diseases which is transferring from animal to human and from human to animal and all the DZCC members ensured to work in close coordination and collaboration with RI as in the past to minimize the burden of zoonoses in Chitral, where as RI conducting trainings to all the relevant stakeholder departments, awareness sessions to the communities and seminars in educational institutes etc. Later on an awareness walk was also held regarding zoonotic diseases. Walk was started from Chitral press club passing through various bazaars and ended at PIA square where people gathered and Dr. Waqar PHO addressed on the causes of zoonoses, prevention and control of the zoonotic diseases. Students of different schools carrying banners inscribing the message regarding awareness of Zoonotic diseases. A large number of people including Chitral Press Club members, different media personals, teachers, students, health & livestock personals, shop keepers and the community social workers participated in the zoonoses walk. During the walk, Zoonoses leaflets and brushers distributed among the peoples for creating general public awareness on Zoonoses.