OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development Minister Gabriel D. Wangsu on Monday called for coordinated efforts among government departments, health professionals, local bodies and the public to strengthen the 'One Health' approach for preventing zoonotic diseases.
Addressing the state-level World Zoonoses Day programme in Itanagar, Wangsu said animal and human health were closely linked and stressed the need for regular vaccination of pets, scientific management of stray animals and public participation in creating rabies-free communities. He said nearly 60 per cent of infectious diseases in humans originated from animals, while around 75 per cent of emerging diseases had animal sources.
The Minister said the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the importance of stronger coordination among veterinarians, doctors, environmental experts and civic bodies. He also inaugurated an Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre at Ganga and virtually launched another at Namsai.
Wangsu launched a week-long anti-rabies vaccination and awareness campaign and administered a public pledge on responsible pet ownership. He urged citizens to vaccinate pets regularly, avoid abandonment of animals and seek immediate treatment in case of animal bites.
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