Experts for controlling parasites to get sustainable livestock

LAHORE:A two-day International Parasitology conference (PARACON-24) with the theme of ‘Tackling Food Security Challenges’ concluded at the University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS) here on Thursday.

The UVAS Department of Parasitology in collaboration with Pakistan Society of Parasitology and Higher Education Commission (HEC) had arranged the conference in which the national and international experts recommended that parasites must be controlled through integrated management to get sustainable livestock and irrational use of medicine must be restricted to avoid drug resistance.

They suggested farm animals like equines were also important in the spread of one health parasite while food and water-borne parasites are responsible for outbreak of the disease in humans and animals. They also observed that food security was a significant issue in developing countries like Pakistan and parasites were one of the major causes of food security and there was dire need to develop vaccines against tick-borne diseases to cope with food security challenges.

Director General HEC Lahore Regional Ghulam Nabi presided over the concluding ceremony of the conference while UVAS Vice Chancellor Meritorious Prof Dr Muhammad Younus), Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science Prof Dr Aneela Zameer Durrani, Chairman Department of Parasitology/President Pakistan Society of Parasitology Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf, Conference Secretary Prof Dr Imran Rashid and renowned veterinary and medical practitioners, parasitologists, molecular biologists, biochemist, vector control specialists, zoologists, scholars, researchers, academicians experts from different countries, including Canada, the UK, Romania and number of participants from public & private organisations, senior officials from Livestock Department and all over Pakistan attended in the ceremony.