FOLLOW THE "WHO" RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT "ONE HEALTH CONCEPT" TO UTILIZE THE SERVICES OF VETERINARIANS & GOVT. ANIMAL WELFARE VOLUNTEERS DURING LOCK-DOWN OF "COVID-19" OUT BREAK FOR SAVING ANIMALS IN DISTRESS


Involve Veterinarians & Welfare Activists in Emergency Team Set-Up By State Govts. As Per Policies of "WHO" To Support The Animals During Lockdown of Coronavirus Outbreak :


Girish Jayantilal Shah,


Member- AWBI, Govt. Of India Wrote  Letter to Government


Mumbai (Maharashtra) ; 25 March 2020



"Its well known that the World Health Organisation (WHO) promote and regulate the health services called"One Health Approach" throughout globe in close association with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN) and the World Organisation for Animal Health -OIE by monitoring multi- sectoral responses related to food safety and security,health hazards, risks from zoonoses, and other public health threats at the human-animal-ecosystem interface and provide guidance on how to reduce these risks,but Indian policy makers/government keeping away the services related to veterinary care and animal welfare which may be seen during the current crisis management and emergency services arranged in the country because, veterinarians are not yet included in the emergency team for rescue operation while the Animal Welfare Board of India(AWBI) has already requested the State governments", stated Girish Jayantilal Shah, Member of the AWBI.
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Shah wrote a letter to the Chairman of the AWBI,Dr. O.P. Chaudhary as feed-back to his circular-letter issued on 23rd March 2020 , Shah appreciated the steps taken by the Chairman, AWBI for taking such most important steps on animal welfare and special care of stray animals and said that when entire country is worry for own care and safety from most deadly-infection of  Coronavirus-COVID-19 and government has lock-down its outbreak to end the infection. No one is worry about the animals and their owners those are responsible to manage and care them, finding helpless. Owned and nor owned animals may die due to lack of food and water, particularly for stray animal management  because, if public is locked-down for long period and then, who will take care of them and even , how the emergency services will be provided to animals .



Suggesting the solution, he urged the Chairman to issue an advisory all the State governments to include veterinarian in  emergency service team as Uttarakhand government has set up an example in the country in by accepting the request letter received from Uttarakhand Sate Veterinary Association and included in emergency team of the State government . Accordingly, Jharkhand Sate Veterinary Association has also come forward to join emergency service of State to save the helpless animals and determined not a single animal should  suffer and die  in absence of  feed-fodder and water or any emergency healthcare . For such noble initiative, Shah told that all the credit goes to Dr. Ashutosh Joshi (Uttarakhand) and Dr. Shivanand Kanshi( Jharkhand) , both officers are currently incharge of the State Animal Welfare Board of their respective States and  the AWBI feel  proud of them .


In this connection, he also requested the Board that either all accredited animal welfare workers / HAWO/ AWOs/ SPCAs to be allowed to work with veterinarians or all HAWOs/ AWOs/SPCAs , Member of AWBI or Any Other recognised Agency/ Representatives to be allowed to support animal feeding/healthcare or emergency services in association with State veterinary service team. If any one Hony. Animal Welfare Officer(HAWO) is willing to work as indivisual, must be permitted , if he is showing the identity card or letter issued by compitant authority or the volunteer is  authorised to work as per direction of the government issued .


He also suggested to send all copies of advisories  to press and media for the public awareness and support for the government initiatives.


FOR MORE DETAILS:


Cotact of Shri Girish J. Shah, Mob. :9820020976 (for any clarification any time on this matter).


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