ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: The participants of a seminar emphasised the need to launch drive to vaccinate the livestock for effective control of diseases.

Pakistan Science Foundation and Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Centre (PASTIC) organised the seminar on veterinary vaccines in Pakistan in collaboration with the Institute of Research Promotion here on Tuesday.

The speakers at the seminar urged that the vaccine producing institutions must be strengthened and upgraded. They said that the public sector should improve quality and quantity of vaccine production in the country.

The seminar’s main objective was to bring forward research and development issues in veterinary vaccines in Pakistan by highlighting areas of priority with the particular reference to the possible collaboration between research and development, and the industry.

Participants of the seminar drawn from Veterinary Research Institute, Lahore and Peshawar, National Veterinary Laboratory and the researchers from NARC, NUST, ISRA and Quaid-e-Azam University.

Rector of FAST University Dr Amir Muhammad highlighted the importance of quality vaccines for better health of livestock in the country.  Others who spoke on the occasion included PSF Chairman Dr Manzoor H Soomro, PASTIC Director-General Dr Khalil Ahmed Ibupoto, Vice Chancellor of ISRA University, Ghulam Qadar Qazi, Dr Muhammad Afzal of FAO and RCCI Vice President Raja Aamir Iqbal.