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Cabinet approves equipment for vet lab
Contracts for the delivery, installation and commissioning of equipment for the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, have been approved.
This was according to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who said that this would be in the form of four lots value at Euros 265, 825.
Early last month, construction of the Vet lab was 50 percent completed.
Dr. Luncheon was at the time addressing media operatives during last Thursdays post Cabinet press briefing.
Early last month, construction of the vet lab was 50 percent completed. There is a November deadline.
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy who visited the site last month is confident that that date will be met.
At a cost of US $2.5M, Dr. Ramsammy said that the lab will have the capability to test, detect, and diagnose diseases affecting animals. This ability will ultimately improve the livestock sector.
The laboratory is being built where the Animal Health Laboratory once stood, and because the old facility was hardly ever used, and had not been functioning as a full-fledged lab, it was demolished and redesigned.
Dr. Ramsammy explained that the Animal Health Lab was operating as sample holding facility, and that tests had to be done overseas. However, with the new diagnostic lab, the Minister explained that the resources will be made available to allow for testing to be done locally.
He noted that when the laboratory is commissioned November month end, it will be equipped to test for brucellosis which is caused by bacteria, and affects mainly sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, and dogs; bovine (cattle) diseases; leptospirosis; and tuberculosis among others.
The Minister noted also that his Ministry is working to have the laboratory accredited, so that the tests done here can be recognized abroad.
Dr. Ramsammy had told Kaieteur News that the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is critical as Guyana moves towards consolidating its food security and lowering its high importation cost.
Kaieteur News was told that there will be a database on the Veterinary Practitioner’s Act, and a Veterinary Council will be set up to register all veterinarians and veterinary technicians across the country.
Dr. Ramsammy had said that just wanting to improve the quality of meat produced locally, especially for exports, would call for healthy animals, thus, a credible animal health lab is necessary; an investment that will be very beneficial, he said.
The Veterinary Diagnostic Lab will remain under the supervision of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), which is headed by Dr. Dindyal Permaul.
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