Assam must improve facilities for fast detection of ASF: Experts

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam has to improve its diagnostic facilities for quick detection of African Swine Flu (ASF). This is the observation made by the Expert Committee constituted by the State Government to assist the latter in combating AFS that has led to the death of more than 13,000 pigs in the State so far.

The committee, headed by the Secretary to State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department, has observed that creation of diagnostic facilities in Assam will reduce the time needed to tackle the disease.

"It is not always viable to send biological samples of infected pigs to the Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases for testing. Biological samples need to reach laboratories in time as chances of such samples getting perished are very high in case of delay," a source close to the committee said.

According to the panel, the Khanapara-based 'North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory', the laboratory at 'Advanced Animal Disease Diagnosis and Management Consortium' and the Rani-based 'National Research Centre on Pig' will be able to test samples. But these laboratories will require the State Government's nod to carry out the tests.

The State has been sending samples from the six ASF-affected districts to the Bhopal-based institute for testing. The Expert Committee has already given in detail the quantity of reagents required for carrying out the tests in the State itself. On other hand, there are reports that the Central Government has not yet informed the 'World Organization for Animal Health' about the outbreak of AFS in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

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