Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 30
The officers’ conference of the Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department took place here today at Hotel Japfu with Dr. I. Longriniken, chairman Development Authority of Nagaland and Bio –Resources Mission Nagaland as the chief guest.
The conference witnessed comprehensive interactions and discussions on various matters relating to the department to bring positive impact on the lives of the people.
Dr. Longriniken maintained that veterinarians can contribute a lot in building economy of the state and urged upon them to come forward and work seriously and sincerely.
No dearth of opportunities
Veterinary & Animal Husbandry director Dr. R. Thungchamo Ezung said “Today we are faced with multi-facet activities requiring knowledge beyond our professional realm in order to efficiently function as a performing department.” Stating that almost every day new techniques, new policies, new medications are introduced in this fast developing world, he said “We need to keep up with it or else we will not be able to survive as a growing department.” Looking deeply into the avenues that the state has to offer, Ezung said, there is no dearth of opportunities.
“Our state has all the potential , both in material and human resources for the development in livestock and its related field,” the director said adding that avenue in services sector and academics are soon to be opened where we will be involving even unemployed professionals of both the vets and para vets.
Ezung also stated that wider opportunities are opening up for professionals in the field of academics with the possibility of opening of a Veterinary College at Jalukie during 2016-17.
Also stressing on the need to be prepared for occurrence of new and emerging diseases, he said “Till date we have not faced any outbreak of catastrophic diseases. But deadly diseases like Avian Influenza and Swine Flu have come as near to us as Myanmar ad Manipur.”
Need for creating genetic pool
Dr. Viral Yore, Additional Director Veterinary & Animal Husbandry said that department farms are the key asset and reflect the technical expertise of the professional. He however regretted that today most of the department farms have become a liability to the government instead of generating revenue.
“Today we have attained 50 years of existence and still to continue in demonstration activities is not what is expected from us by the public. Therefore, creating a genetic pool specific to the state through our state run farms scientific breeding is the need to the hour,” Dr. Yore said.
Also stating that artificial insemination in pigs is a key to attain self sufficiency in meat, he, however said “till date this matter is not seriously taken into consideration.”
ICAR is taking up AI on pig vey successfully and had even trained women groups who are inseminating their own pigs. This activity suggested that the public are going ahead of us in application of technical knowledge. In this respect, the additional director challenged the veterinarians to rededicate themselves toward translation of scientific knowledge into action for benefit of the people.
Also stating that veterinary hospitals need to provide specific treatment to the patient through confirmatory diagnosis using laboratory test and not just prescribing broad spectrum antibiotic, Dr. Yore felt that the veterinary hospitals and Disease Diagnostic Laboratories should work hand-in-hand, supporting each other, otherwise the standard of the profession as well as the ethic of the professional will be looked down by the owners.
Refinement for disease reporting system
Stating that disease reporting system needs thorough refinement, he said “The report received from various VHCs should be scrutinized and compiled by professional and not by clericals as it has been observed some silly mistakes.”
He continued that false/faulty reporting can result to grave situation because disease reporting is of national importance and it defines the status of disease in the country and sometime it can lead to ban on export on milk, meat to foreign countries which can affect the country’s economy.
Also stressing on the need to take good care of department land /assets, he also suggested that cleanliness of the department compound may be started by organizing cleanliness drive every first Saturday of the month in line with “Swachh Bharat.”
The additional director also called for successful implementation of the existing ongoing schemes particularly KVY, NLM, ASCAD, ESVHD, NPBB, NPDD etc. so that the vision of self sufficiency is achieved by 2030.”
Later, during technical session, Dr. R. Thungchamo Ezung, Dr. David Sema and Dr. Simon Ao talked on “Assessment of performance,” “Improvisation of vety service delivery system” and “ Coordination with livestock farmers for improved productivity” respectively.
