As Eid Al Adha approaches, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has embarked on an extensive strategy to guarantee the safety and health of sacrificial animals entering the country.
This comprehensive plan encompasses the provision of technical and diagnostic equipment, along with specialized personnel, to conduct meticulous examinations, ensuring the animals' well-being and freedom from diseases. Moreover, the Ministry emphasizes strict adherence to regulatory procedures to facilitate the entry of sacrificial and live animals through various border crossings smoothly.
Inspection and Oversight
Marwan Al Zaabi, the Assistant Undersecretary for the Regions Sector at the Ministry, spearheaded inspections at several pivotal sites crucial for ensuring compliance and readiness. These included the Hamriya Port Center for Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine, the Dubai Livestock Market, the Dubai slaughterhouse, and the Sharjah Airport Center for Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine. Concurrently, district directors conducted thorough tours across regions nationwide, ensuring uniform preparedness standards.
At the core of this initiative lies the objective to enhance monitoring and inspection protocols to safeguard both sacrificial animals and those intended for consumption. Al Zaabi underscored the paramount importance of adhering to international standards in livestock handling. The Ministry is dedicated to ensuring compliance with stringent veterinary quarantine procedures at slaughterhouses and other livestock-related facilities, thereby bolstering public health and livestock well-being.
The Ministry disclosed that, from the beginning of the year until June, the country's border crossings received a staggering 592,000 heads of sheep, goats, cows, and camels. These animals underwent rigorous veterinary quarantine procedures, including comprehensive clinical and laboratory examinations, to ascertain their health status and mitigate the risk of infectious diseases. Notably, this figure reflects a significant increase from the previous year, indicative of heightened vigilance and scrutiny at border entry points.
Flexible Response Mechanisms
Anticipating a surge in live animal imports during Eid Al Adha, the Ministry has proactively implemented flexible response mechanisms to accommodate the heightened demand. These measures include robust data analysis to anticipate import service requirements, extension of working hours at veterinary quarantine centers, augmentation of veterinarian and laboratory technician teams, and optimization of laboratory testing processes. By streamlining procedures, the Ministry aims to expedite services without compromising quality standards, ensuring timely and efficient processing of animals entering the country.
The Ministry's proactive approach underscores its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and health of sacrificial animals and livestock entering the country. Through rigorous inspections, adherence to international standards, and the implementation of flexible response mechanisms, it aims to uphold public health and enhance the overall well-being of livestock across the nation.
