Govt, Animal Health Body Pursue Plan To Improve Vet Services
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has successfully completed it gap analysis mission to identify key issues in improving Fiji’s veterinary services and technical competency.
This is to confront a wide-range of food security issues. They are working with Government to develop a five-year strategic plan to address these issue-areas.
This announcement was made following a meeting between an OIE technical team and the Attorney-General and Minister for Public Enterprises Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
The OIE technical team consisted of Dr Julia W Punderson and Dr Niksa Barisic.
The meeting also included the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Rosy Akbar, the Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu, and the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji chief executive officer Xavier Riyaz Khan, and chairperson Ajith Kodagoda.
At the meeting, the Attorney-General outlined Government’s plan to improve livestock development and trade, veterinary public health and animal health.
He also discussed ongoing efforts to streamline and modernise legislation to improve veterinary services.
The OIE agreed to begin development on a five-year strategic plan outlining how Government and the OIE can co-operate to advance the priorities put forward by the Attorney-General and move Fiji’s veterinary service offerings more in line with international best practices.
The plan will help improve Fiji’s technical competency to combat zoonotic diseases, reduce residues in bringing food from farm to table and mitigate antimicrobial resistance in line with the internationally accepted One Health Approach.
The Attorney-General welcomed the commitment from the OIE and stressed the importance of high-quality veterinary services and food security for the economies of small island developing states (SIDS).
“As is often the case for SIDS, the success of the Fijian economy relies heavily on maintaining secure pathways with our trading partners,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“Our work with the OIE will improve the health of our animals in Fiji and maintain high standards for our food products – and that will guarantee greater food security and continued economic prosperity for the Fijian people,” he said.
Source: DEPTFO News
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