Steps taken to better equip GLDA’s Epidemiology Unit

The Government is investing in boosting the capacity of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) Epidemiology Unit to ensure the country remains free from many of the devastating foreign animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza, and African swine fever.
On Wednesday, the GLDA inked a $9,396,878 contract with Marics and Company Limited for the supply and delivery of a vehicle equipped to conduct disease prevention and animal treatment services. The vehicle will be deployed across the country to provide this service. According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, the Epidemiology Unit currently conducts active and passive surveillance activities countrywide for several diseases such as classical and African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, Newcastle Disease, avian leucosis, equine infection anaemia, equine encephalitis, rabies, duck viral hepatitis, and other diseases.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, the DPI reported, said that the acquisition of the vehicle would help the GLDA to become more responsive.
“These diseases can have a devastating effect on the livestock industry and food security. They can also have a negative effect on trade, which will ultimately affect farmers and the country as a whole financially. The vehicle that will soon be acquired by the GLDA will help in the response to disease outbreaks should they occur. It will also assist with reports of disease outbreak investigations, vaccination for things like rabies, and blackleg. This vehicle will also help our officers to respond quickly to reports of unusual deaths in livestock, as well as any suspected incursion of foreign animal diseases into Guyana’s territory. The contractor has also indicated that this vehicle will be handed over to GLDA within the next two months, which is almost three months ahead of schedule,” the Minister is quoted as saying.
The Minister also said the Government would continue to inject resources into the sector to ensure effective border and import quarantine policies and programmes are implemented.
For 2021, GLDA’s quarantine officers have already carried out several operations which resulted in 96 interceptions of animals and livestock products at some of Guyana’s major ports of entry. Following those activities, several actions were taken including quarantine of illegally-imported animals, sanitary disposal, and in some cases, euthanasia.