Eidul Azha is an important event in Islamic history, celebrated every year in the month of Zil Hajj, in order to acknowledge the desire of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) which was to fulfil the challenge of obedience to Allah by sacrificing his son Hazrat Ismail (AS).
After witnessing the devotion of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), Allah ordered him to slaughter a lamb rather than sacrificing his son and from that day onwards, Muslims all over the world, as a prayer and to refresh Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi, sacrifice goats, lambs, camels, sheep or cows to seek Allah’s acceptance. For that purpose, they used to move in cattle market just before the event and purchase animal for a sacred purpose. In doing so they are exposed to number of various zoonotic diseases.
The history of zoonotic diseases is 10,000 years old and in recent era, 75 percent of infectious diseases are due to zoonosis. Zoonotic diseases have contributed major losses to world economy. The latest infectious diseases which are spreading from last 15 years are Hanta, Ebola, avian influenza, West influenza, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, influenza A and bacterial agents ie Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia Pastis which are causing plague and anthrax commonly in human population very rapidly. In less developed countries like Pakistan, the ratio is even more as according to reports, one out of seven livestock is infected with various group of diseases. Annually, 2.7 million human deaths and approximately 2,500,000,000 cases of human illness are recorded.
To control these diseases, simple and easy methods can be utilised, the awareness of which is less among the people of less developed countries. There are three types of preventive measures that one must adopt while interacting with animals regularly or even occasionally
To control these diseases, simple and easy methods can be utilised, the awareness of which is less among the people of less developed countries. There are three types of preventive measures that one must adopt while interacting with animals regularly or even occasionally.
Proper personal hygiene depends only on the activity of individual and nothing to do with other perspectives. For safety, one must wash his hands before and after the handling of animal. Do not eat or drink in animal’s boundary like in cattle market. If lesions are seen with naked eyes on the surface of animal, then must not touch animals without gloves otherwise you are touching disease not a healthy animal. You must be wearing mask if you are allergic to bedding dust or animal dander or hair. If you are already sick, then there is no need to take risk of entering cattle market as you are more inclined to be infected than healthy persons.
If you are a cattle market worker, then wear gloves routinely. In case of any suspicious movement of animal, immediately inform the physician as it may be a symptom of any disease that you don’t know.
The government duty or an owner of specified cattle market must maintain the environment of animal’s surrounding by keeping them clean and well organised. There must be a proper ventilation space for animals and workers. Floors must be protected from feed and bedding. Urine and faecal build-up should be vanished on urgent basis in cattle market.
Veterinary doctors must be available in the cattle market during the days of Eid when there is a large influx in market and health status animals should be examined on daily basis. Dead or sick animals should be reported and must stay away or exiled from the market.
If problems like immobility, difficulty in breathing, diarrhoea and depression then these points should not be ignored and noted down separately. Progression or history of animal diseases is also important points to consider for treatment. Vaccination, tick and flea control, enteric parasites periodic testing is helpful in protecting both the lives of human and animal.
Consuming meat of affected animals would definitely lead to pathogenicity so fresh meat for sacrifice should be free of any abnormality. These steps do not cost much in implementation as safeguard policy. Just they demand care from an individual to state level and results would bear fruits.
The writer is based in Bhakkar and can be reached at [email protected]