Abu Dhabi: A group of veterinary laboratories by the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (Adafsa) has been accredited by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) as the first cooperating reference centre for camel diseases in the Middle East.
As a WOAH Collaborating Centre, the Adafsa veterinary labs will act as a multinational research hub that promotes rapid response to epidemics and emerging diseases. These labs will also expand camel epidemiology analyses, reaffirming the emirate’s leading position in biosecurity. The accreditation was announced at the 89th meeting of the WOAH General Assembly.
Animal health
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, praised the efforts of Adafsa, which strengthened the UAE’s capabilities for animal health.
“Protecting animal health, which is directly related to public health, is one of the UAE’s priorities. This is why the latest technologies and solutions are used to enhance existing systems and develop new ones,” she added.
Strengthen responses
Saeed Al Ameri, Adafsa director general of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, stressed that the new accreditation will contribute to redrawing the map of camel diseases in the region by enabling the genetic characterisation of pathogens. It will also help develop policies and strategies related to disease control and prevention, including enhancing responses to animal epidemic emergencies and enabling animal vaccination campaigns.
“We are happy to cooperate with WOAH, and we renew our determination to provide all means of support for the programmes and activities necessary for developing livestock, strengthening the biosecurity system and meeting the aspirations of achieving food security for people of the region and the world,” Al Ameri explained.
