Veterinarians make major contribution:

Lanka gains tangible benefits in ensuring food security

Text of the speech by Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman at the 79th OIE (World Animal) Health Organization General Sessions held in Paris, France from May 22 to 27

As the Minister responsible for the Livestock Sector in Sri Lanka, it is a privilege indeed for me to address this prestigious world assembly on the occasion of the 79th General Session of the World Assembly of delegates of the OIE member countries.

Minister Arumugam Thondaman

The annual session of the OIE is a unique event aimed at analyzing world animal health status and review of policies, making it not only the culminating point in updating relevant international standards but also the highest forum to deliberate and exchange of information and ideas between member countries and other stakeholders with an indisputable interest in the animal health and international trade of livestock and livestock products.

Veterinarians, in addition to their well-known role as animal doctors, have corroborated their ability to design very successful and sustainable programmes for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including those transmissible to humans through contact or by way of contaminated food.

Developing countries like Sri Lanka has gained tangible benefits in ensuring food security through veterinarians’ contribution in animal health improvement.

The management of our domestic animal health programmes have benefited immensely from the many forms of deliberations of the delegates of OIE member states and we are very much thankful for such external assistance. Furthermore, the ‘One Health’ concept which is for the improvement of the lives of all species - human and animal through the integration of human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental science has become very important at present and is acknowledged by many governments.

We in Sri Lanka, I am happy to state have initiated action to share information and knowledge between medical personnel and veterinarians in working towards the ‘One Health Concept’.

Today, the veterinary profession is recognized for their imperative support in improving animal production in order to meet the soaring world demand for animal protein especially in developing countries.

In this context, the veterinary profession also provides indispensable assistance to hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest livestock producers to protect their sole capital, their animals, and also to help promote access for their animal products to more lucrative export markets.

I understand that the need to fight against animal diseases at international level or more appropriate at global level had led to the creation of the OIE in 1924. Since then the OIE has taken the leadership and provided effective guidance for the member countries to formulate and implement appropriate disease control programmes with proper scientific approach at international, regional and global level.

The battle against 'Rinderpest' the most dreadful cattle plague has now come to the end with announcing of the global freedom from the disease in 2011. I believe that the countries yet to obtain the freedom from disease including Sri Lanka will receive their certification of successful achievement during this occasion. I congratulate the OIE for its great success via its diligent performance and commitment to accomplish this demanding task.

Sri Lanka being an island is fortunate to be affected with only a few major animal diseases of economic importance. To date there had been no outbreak of Bird-flue in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless we are by no means complacent about our freedom from bird-flue and are continuing to strengthen the capacity of the Animal Health System to prepare for control and to respond in the event of an outbreak occurring in Sri Lanka.

Foot and Mouth disease

We also look forward to expand our ability to monitor wildlife diseases and we would very much appreciate the assistance of the OIE to strengthen the capacity of our animal health specialists and our animal health diagnostic infrastructure.

The global eradication of Foot and Mouth disease from the domestic animals which is the next most economically important contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals has been anticipated by 2020.

I am confident that the lessons learnt in eradicating rinderpest from the world will definitely make this task achievable within the targeted timeframe and I am glad that Sri Lanka has already taken measures to march forward in this progressive control pathway.