China formally launches prevention and control program on major animal epidemics, such as bird flu, on Saturday.

 

The program is designed to ensure effective control on the country's major animal epidemics through a series of methods, such as enhancing immunity and epidemic monitoring, establishing an animal labeling system and epidemic back-tracking system.

 

China's prevention and control work on major animal epidemics now puts on more emphasis on prevention rather than emergency response after the outbreak and the institutionalization of the control regime, Yin Chengjie, vice agriculture minister, said at the launching ceremony.

 

Spring is the peak incidence season of major animal epidemics, Yin said, adding that China should enforce the following seven measures:

 

Strengthening disinfecting and combines disinfecting with culling, enhancing monitoring on major animal epidemics and improving abilities in forecasting and early warning.

 

Enhancing grassroots-level infrastructure development and promoting reforms of veterinary system.

 

Strengthening quarantine regulating as well as enforcement of animal epidemic prevention laws and regulations.

 

Intensifying evaluation of animal sanitary conditions and speeding up the development of animal epidemics-free zones.

 

Strengthening the animal-labeling and epidemic back-tracking systems, and promoting full-scaled back-tracking management of animals and animal products.

 

Enhancing the supervision of veterinary drugs concerning their production, sales and use.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2007)