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Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have laid down fresh guidelines for governments to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic pathogens to humans in food production and marketing chains.
- The call for action comes as the world grapples with a resurgence of Covid-19.
About the Guidelines
- Emergency regulations to suspend live wild animal sales.
- Suspend the trade in live caught wild animals of mammalian species for food or breeding in traditional food markets, also known as “wet markets”.
- Close sections of food markets selling live caught wild animals of mammalian species as an emergency measure unless demonstrable effective regulations and adequate risk assessment are in place.
- Improving standards of hygiene and sanitation.
- Strengthen the regulatory basis for improving standards of hygiene and sanitation in traditional food markets to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases.
- During this pandemic, additional measures for crowd control and physical distancing as well as education on respiratory hygiene should be introduced to limit the possibility of person-to-person transmission of disease.
- Controlling the farming and sale of wild animals intended for human consumption.
- Conduct risk assessments to provide the evidence base for developing regulations to control the risks of transmission of zoonotic microorganisms from farmed and caught wild animals intended for breeding or human consumption.
- Regulations should address the traceability of farmed wild animals to ensure that they are distinguished from caught wild animals and should include strict biosecurity measures.
- Training of food and veterinary inspectors.
- Ensure that food inspectors are adequately trained to ensure that businesses comply with regulations to protect consumers’ health and are held accountable.
- Competent authorities should be adequately resourced, so that regulations are consistently enforced.
- Strengthening surveillance systems for zoonotic pathogens.
- Strengthen animal health surveillance systems for zoonotic pathogens and include both domestic and wild animals.
- This will provide an early warning for pathogen emergence and provide the evidence base for the development of controls to prevent risks to human health, in association with public health surveillance systems.
- Strengthen animal health surveillance systems for zoonotic pathogens and include both domestic and wild animals.
- Food safety information campaigns.
- Develop and implement food safety information campaigns for market traders, stall holders, consumers and the wider general public.
- These should communicate the principles of food safety and the risks of transmission of zoonotic pathogens and the risks associated with the consumption and trade of wildlife.
- These should also disseminate information to all stakeholders about the importance of biodiversity and the need for any use of wildlife to be legal, sustainable, safe and responsible.
Zoonosis
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Source: DTE
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