Minister of Agriculture, Khaled Hneifat, on Tuesday launched the Electronic Integrated Disease Surveillance System (EIDSS) project, funded by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
“This project, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, is part of an agreement between the Agriculture Ministry and DTRA, with an estimated support of $716,000, in cooperation with the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) General Command,” Hneifat said in the launching ceremony.
He stressed the importance of livestock to the national economy, especially as it constitute 60 per cent of the agricultural sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said that the ministry is seeking, through its staff across the Kingdom, to control animal diseases due to their danger against the livestock.
He pointed out that Jordan is moving towards modernizing and improving veterinary services through 3 animal hospitals in the regions, in addition to efforts to control fictitious holdings to ensure that government support reaches real breeders.
For his part, JAF representative, Brigadier General Imad Khamaiseh, underscored the strong cooperation between DTRA and JAF. He added that the EIDSS project aims to enhance the ability of ministries of agriculture and health to detect and early warn of diseases and epidemics of animal origin, and contributes to addressing the dangers of epidemics outbreak.
The EIDSS constitutes a milestone in the development of veterinary services in the Kingdom, as it links the ministry’s veterinary centers to the main center and facilitates early detection of animal and common diseases through veterinarians and immediate notification so that epidemiological information reaches the center immediately for analysis and drawing conclusions to help the decision-maker to take the best control and countering measures.
The EIDSS includes sections for laboratory samples, epidemiological investigation, immunization campaigns and other veterinary activities, and the link is made with the Ministry of Health regarding human diseases of animal origin.
SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY