The Ministry of Environment and Water has revealed that it has given over 2.5 million vaccines in addition to preventive treatment and livestock extension in the UAE. This move falls in line with its “Halalna Initiative,” which was launched by His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water in March 2013, to promote bio-security and enhance food security in the country.
Halalna Initiative aims to preserve the health of livestock in the UAE and prevent them from diseases and epidemics, thereby maintaining consumer health. With an aim to achieve the best utilization of human and other existing resources, the campaign encourages animal breeders to increase production and growth of livestock in the country in order to enhance food security as well as reduce the incidence of epidemic diseases by raising the rate of success of bio-security. The drive has an underlying goal to strengthen the partnership with animal breeders to promote efficiency of livestock extension services.
By the end of 2013, a total of 22,524,715 vaccinations were given to animals against epidemic diseases, including vaccinations for goat and sheep PPR virus or goat and sheep plague, blood poisoning and gastrointestinal tract, foot and mouth disease (FMD) of goats, sheep and cows, pleuropneumonia of goats, and smallpox of goats and sheep with an increase of 40 per cent from 2012.
The number of therapeutic drugs has also exceeded 1,669,206 doses for non-epidemic diseases and preventive treatments, external and internal parasite infections, and diseases due to malnutrition where the lack of elements was increased to 160.7 per cent from the year 2012. The team overseeing the work of this initiative made over 14,909 visits, an increase of 91.5 per cent from 2012.
On the sidelines of the initiative, the Ministry has organized five induction meetings with the animal breeders located in different areas of the country, such as Al Labsa in Umm Al Quwain, Zubair area, Al Dhaid and Falaj Al Mualla. Other meetings were held in 2012 in the eastern region and the northern region in September and November, respectively.
The number of attendees to these induction meetings was around 240, including animal breeders, doctors and veterinarians. The Ministry had organized the meetings with an aim to educate and guide animal breeders with the best practices and methods for breeding and handling animals, as well as identify veterinarians and doctors’ observations about the veterinary services that are offered to them.
Furthermore, to introduce Halalna Initiative, the ministry also participated in the Halal Food ME Expo, where they distributed indicative leaflets to educate public about the program. In addition, a presentation was given to the public to explain MoEW’s electronic veterinary services.