CHITRAL: The government has been urged to ensure continuation of the district zoonotic control committee (DZCC) as it was ensuring effective check on the proliferation of zoonotic diseases in Chitral.

The DZCC will cease to function after the exit of NGO, Relief International by next month, which is funding its functions.

The demand was made at the monthly meeting of DZCC here on Monday, chaired by district health officer Dr Israrullah Khan.

The participants said that the committee was a strong chain between the relevant organs of the government and the civil society to raise awareness about the deadly zoonotic diseases and ensure coordinated efforts to eradicate the diseases.

Established three years ago under the livestock for life project of Relief International, the forum regularly holds its monthly meeting in which the heads of health, livestock, education, environment, municipal administration and various civil society organisations discuss the issues causing zoonotic diseases.

The members proposed that the DZCC be turned into a district level committee and urged the deputy commissioner to arrange funds for the body.

The participants said that the people of Chitral were highly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases as majority of them derived their sustenance from livestock keeping.

They pointed out that so far the district had reported 296 cases of zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

On the occasion, Dr Shiekh Ahmed, senior veterinary officer, submitted the assessment report of poultry shops in the city and told the forum that 72 per cent of them were situated adjacent to food shops.

The DZCC members proposed the establishment of a separate market for poultry shops in the city to ensure hygienic conditions on one side and a check on their prices on the other.

Chief municipal officer, Karimullah, told the meeting that 16 tonnes of solid waste was produced in the city out of which a large quantity was the refuses of butchers and poultry shops which were health hazards for the inhabitants.

It was also decided on the occasion to carry out surprise checking of meat and poultry shops in the city to ensure hygienic environment there.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play