Veterinary Varsity addresses Public Health issues

The primary objective of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) is to serve the farming community. To accomplish this purpose veterinary university organized training programs, awareness camps/days, and Pashu Palan Melas regularly. In this Pashu Palan Mela, The GADVASU has taken a leap by collaborating with various NGOs and allied departments. These departments were provided infrastructure without any cost to serve humanity. In the Mela, an awareness camp was organized by the Health Department Punjab under the guidance of civil surgeon Ludhiana. In this camp, farmers were informed about symptoms and preventive measures of prevalent diseases. The pamphlets and booklets about these diseases were distributed to the farmers.

Punjab Pollution Control Board gave awareness to farmers to curb water pollution, stubble burning, and general environmental pollution. Awareness and motivation campaign regarding blood donation and organ donation was organized by NSS Volunteers of Baba Khajandas College of Management Technology, Bhutta, Ludhiana. Plants were also distributed to the farmers to save the environment.

Awareness about eye donation was done by Punarjot Eye Bank Society, Ludhiana, which is a Punjab Government registered society under the human organ transplantation act 1994 in the NGO sector. The farmers were appraised about eye injuries and the importance of eye donation. The farmers were motivated for eye donation and registered for the same.

The School of Public Health and Zoonoses, of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana also organized a Brucellosis Awareness and Free Brucellosis Testing Camp. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of animals, wherein the infected pregnant animals undergo abortion in the last trimester of pregnancy and develop mastitis. Farmers were made aware of the clinical signs in human beings which included fever, orchitis, myalgia, joint pain, sweating, anorexia and profound weakness.

Dr. RS Aulakh, Director, School of Public Health and Zoonoses informed that 125 samples were tested for brucellosis and awareness pamphlets were distributed. He also informed that Brucellosis testing facilities were available in his department from where the farmers can get their samples tested. Dr. Aulakh also urged the farmers and other people engaged in dairy farming practice to adopt proper biosecurity measures for the prevention and control of this disease and get themselves routinely tested for brucellosis.

A stall for distributing free religious literature and for testing blood groups was also organised by Guru Gobind Study Circle, Ludhiana. Sukrit Foundation distributed literature on good teachings and principles of life. Artists of Ishmeet Music Academy performed in the mela and enthralled audience with their melodious voices.