Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that Mobile Animal Health Service has been started in Punjab for the first time in the history of the country for the benefit of livestock farmers. He was speaking at the inauguration of Mobile Animal Health Service here on Friday. Provincial Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Syed Haroon Sultan, Secretary Livestock, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmad and other concerned officers were also present.
He further said that in the first phase this project has been initiated in Okara, Sahiwal, Muzaffargarh and Jhang districts, while in the second phase, this service would be provided in Bahawalnager, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Chakwal and Dera Ghazi Khan districts.
He said development of livestock sector was very important with regard to poverty alleviation, as livestock was the basic source of income of farming community. As the farmers had to face a lot of difficulty in taking their animals to hospitals, therefore, this service has been started for providing the services of qualified veterinary doctors, paramedical staff, mobile dispensary and necessary medicines to the cattle farmers.
He said this service would be accessible at specific places under a fixed programme besides being available round the clock in case of emergency. "Animal health service would result in availability of timely treatment facilities to the sick animals and would also save the expenditures of farmers on taking their cattle to hospitals.
There has been a substantial increase in milk, meat and eggs production due to improvement in the health of livestock," he added.
Provincial Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development, Syed Haroon Sultan and Secretary Livestock, Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmad said that the Chief Minister's self-employment Programme, Punjab Dairy Development Programme 2004 and Mobile Animal Health Service would go a long way in the development of livestock sector.