'Safe protein consumption can ensure sound public health’

Safe protein production and consumption can be the vital means of protecting the public health from various infectious diseases, including the fatal ones.

Utmost emphasis should be given on bringing the farmers and others concerned under proper training so that they can rear, fatten and sell their domestic animals and poultry birds hygienically.

Veterinary and animal husbandry experts came up with the observation while addressing a seminar titled "Way forward for producing safe protein" at Shimanto Obokash in the city on Friday afternoon.

Bangladesh Livestock Society (BLS) organized the seminar supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Registrar of Rajshahi University (RU) Prof Tariqul Hassan addressed the seminar as chief guest, while Prof Sayed Sarwar Jahan from the RU's Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences spoke as focal person with BLS President Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder in the chair.

BLS General Secretary Dr Hemayetul Islam and Dr Ismail Haque and Dr Riazul Islam from the Department of Livestock Services also spoke.

In his remarks, Prof Tariqul Islam said each and every of the farmers should be given knowledge on production tactics of safe protein to face the future challenges.

He also mentioned that substantial and sustainable promotion of the region's veterinary and livestock sector can be the effective means of meeting the gradually mounting demands of protein.

Contribution of the sector is immense in terms of employment generation side by side with meeting protein demand and socio-economic development of the country.

Prof Sayed Sarwar Jahan said the livestock sector could be elevated through the best uses of existing natural resources.

He stressed the need for uplifting the sector for food security, self-employment and poverty reduction. Due importance should be given on adopting modern technology, promotion of high yielding varieties and farmers training to overcome the crisis.

Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder opined that large-scale farming of fodder could further develop the livestock sector to contribute immensely to fulfilling the protein deficiency in the country.

He said collaborative efforts of all the government and non-government organizations concerned has become an urgent need for protecting public health through ensuring quality of animal source foods.

 Adulterated and unhygienic animal source foods always push public health towards endangered conditions. So, forging social resistance against any ill-motive of making the foods unhygienic has become crucial.

He also said the number of patients suffering from various contagious and non-contagious diseases has increased to a great extent due to the rise of contaminated foods.
 
This is the high time to contain the problem collectively, he added.