Implementation and Outcome of Brucellosis Control Program in Indian Veterinary Research Institute

Implementation and Outcome of Brucellosis Control Program in Indian Veterinary Research Institute

Several animal disease control programmes are going on in India spending billions of rupees every year.  (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311807736_Ongoing_Animal_Disease_Control_Programmes_in_India?_iepl%5BviewId%5D=CteLn741pOE4qI6Z31KdUiT1&_iepl%5BprofilePublicationItemVariant%5D=default&_iepl%5Bcontexts%5D%5B0%5D=prfpi&_iepl%5BtargetEntityId%5D=PB%3A311807736&_iepl%5BinteractionType%5D=publicationTitle). Similarly, a National Brucellosis Control Program (NBCP) is also there in India (https://www.slideshare.net/singh_br1762/brucellosis-epidemiology-and-control-in-india)

Indian Veterinary Research Institute, being the Premier Veterinary Institute of the country is the main planning hub for the Disease Control Policies in India. This short analysis based on RTI information from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar reveals the efficacy of the programmes and implementation of the programmes.

Facts:

1.        Average herd size in dairy of Indian Veterinary Research Institute is more than one thousand.

2.        Stillbirths and abortions are about in 10% pregnant animals every year.

3.         Brucellosis in prevalent in Indian Veterinary Research Institute’s dairy farm. As per RTI information for last 10 years Brucellosis positive animals were always recorded, maximum >51% in 2010.

4.        Even after endemicity of Brucellosis on Indian Veterinary Research Institute’s dairy farm testing was almost abandoned after 2010 (Fig. 1).

5.        Again in 2014 a few (12) animals were tested and 25% were positive. Since then no attempt to test the disease. What were criteria of selecting 12 out of 1000 animals for testing?

Fig. 1. Number of animals tested and positive for Brucellosis at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar Dairy Farm (Average population is ~1000).

As per National Guidelines for control of Brucellosis

(http://fardodisha.gov.in/sites/default/files/misc/LivestockHealth&DiseaseControl.pdf) and Annexure V (http://dahd.nic.in/sites/default/files/technical_guidelines.pdf) i.e., village level screening of samples (Twice in a year) & vaccination of female calves between 6-8 months in all states. Adulthood vaccination will also be taken up covering all un-vaccinated adult female bovines in a phased manner during 12th plan. More details are given at: http://www.pdadmas.ernet.in/pdf/National%20Control%20Program%20on%20Brucellosis.pdf

Now the Critical question is:

What is the outcome of the Brucellosis Control Program in Indian Veterinary Research Institute?

1.      Brucellosis in endemic as ever before the NCBP, despite acclaimed calf hood vaccination for control of Brucellosis.

2.      Abortion and Still births due to Brucellosis are still common (~10 pregnant animals, Fig. 2).

Fig.2. Abortions and still births in pregnant cows at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar dairy Farm.

The next Question is:

Why the program of Brucellosis control failed at Indian Veterinary Research Institute?

1.    Bad or non implementation of the program: Evident from the figure 1, that there is no regular testing for Brucellosis in Dairy of Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar. The guidelines formed under NBCP for whole India are grossly flawed in the Premier Institute.

2.    In efficacy of the Vaccine: It is big question either the vaccines passed at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar for use in whole India were really of good quality or not? If of good quality why the vaccine not worked at the Premier Institute's own Farm?

The other question is:

Either the NBCP is useful or not?

If useful why it is failed at Indian Veterinary Research Institute? If not useful, why it is implemented for whole India?

In light of the above facts it is clears that how Animal Husbandry Planning and Implementation of Programmes are going on in India. Now the questions are:

1.      Why are we bluffing our Farmers and animal husbandry people?

2.      Who are bluffing the Poor farmers rearing animals for livelihood?

3.      Why is the action not taken against those responsible to bluffing the Farmers and animal husbandry people?

4.      Who are beneficiary of all this bluff game in India?

5.      How long will it take for awakening of the responsible?

Note: All the information is based on information received under RTI Act-2005 or is already in Public domain.

    What should be done?

The only way out is test and segregation, test every 6 monthly.

Instead of spending on useless vaccines spend that money the farmers as compensation against their animals taken for segregation.

Gaushalas and all veterinary Institutions having dairy farms in name of teaching and education farms should be used as the house for segregation of sick animals.

All such Gaushalas and Institutional farms should be used for research and management of sick animals. This program may also evaluate the efficacy of our researchers having large claims.

Majority of the scientists should be allowed to work only on major disease problems rather than on fancied ideas and diseases.

However, a detailed program can only be made after more discussions if people are ready to think on these lines.

प्रिय मित्रों,
आज बरेली के दैनिक जागरण में भा. प. अनु. संधान संस्थान की डेरी के बारे में जो खबर छपी है उसमे कुछ तथ्य सत्य नहीं हैं और ब्लॉग को समझने में चूक की गई है. जैसे कि 1. ब्रुसेल्लॉसिस प्रोग्राम में गाँव के दुधारू पशुओं का वर्ष में दो बार परीक्षण होना है ना कि दो पशुओं का. 2, संस्थान की डेरी में लगभग 1000 पशु हैं ना कि एक हज़ार संक्रमित पशु. 3. डेरी में गर्भपात और समय से पूर्व प्रसव का कुल आँकड़ा 10 % हैं ना कि 10% बढ़ा है इतनी बड़ी डेरी में कुछ पशुओं का गर्भपात एक सामान्य बात है. 4. समाचार में मेरे ब्लॉग मे छपे तथ्यों को बढ़ा चढ़ाकर प्रस्तुत किया गया है अतः मैं इस समाचार से संतुष्ट नहीं हूँ. 
Dear Friends,
The News Published today about IVRI Dairy in Dainik Jagaran (http://epaper.jagran.com/ePaperArticle/23-jun-2017-edition-Bareilly-Nagar-page_1-17480-9588-147.html) based on my blogs (http://azad-azadindia.blogspot.com/) and Facebook communications are not totally true it contains several wrong facts 1. Under Brucellosis Contol Program village dairy animals have to be tested twice in a year (not the two cows in a village). 2. IVRI dairy has about 1000 animals and only some were infected with brucellosis not 1000 or more.3. Abortions and stillbirths are about 10% in IVRI Dairy, it is not true that abortions have increased by 10%. 4. The news is an exaggeration of the facts in my blogs and Facebook posts.

I condemn such exaggeration of the facts.