Collaborative efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned and farmers can be the best way of protecting public health through ensuring quality of animal source foods.
Adulterated and unhygienic animal source foods always push public health towards endangered conditions. So, forging social resistance against any ill- motive of making the foods unhygienic has become crucial.
The observation came at a divisional workshop styled "Ensuring Quality of Animal Source Foods and Role of Veterinary Public Health Project to Protect Public Health" in Rajshahi city today. Directorate of Livestock (DLS) hosted the workshop on behalf of its project titled 'Quality Control Laboratory for Livestock Inputs and its Food Products' held at Hotel X.
More than 150 DLS district and upazila officials, experts and farmers from different districts of the division joined the workshop and some of them took part in its open discussion putting forward a set of recommendations on how to attain desired yield in this field.
On the occasion, 73 dairy and beef fattening farmers affected by the zoonotic diseases were given Taka 80,000 each as compensation so that they can recoup their losses.
Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Dr Mohammad Yamin Chowdhury addressed the workshop as chief guest, while DLS Director General Dr Monjur Mohammad Shahjada was in the chair.
Professor Bahanur Rahman from the Department of Microbiology and Hygiene in Bangladesh Agricultural University, Director of Veterinary Public Health Project Dr Azizul Islam and Director of Quality Control Laboratory Establishment Project Dr Mustafa Kamal illustrated the aspects of ensuring safe and nutritious food to the public in their respective keynote presentation.
DLS Rajshahi Divisional Director Dr Nazrul Islam welcomed the participants. The meeting was told that a Quality Control Laboratory for Livestock Inputs and its Food Products has been established on 1.64 acres of land at Savar to ensure quality meat and meat products for consumption and trade. Secretary Dr Yamin Chowdhury urged the participating DLS officials and farmers to ensure quality meat and meat products taking advantage of the laboratory.
He said none has the right to harm the consumers in general through supplying them with contaminated foods as the government is determined to protect the consumers' rights.
Dr Chowdhury said the number of patients suffering from various contagious and non-contagious diseases has increased to a great extent due to the rise of contaminated foods.
This is the high time to contain the problem collectively, he added.
