CM to inaugurate 218 mobile veterinary units across state

The state Animal Resources Development department (ARD) is taking a significant stride to take animal healthcare services to the doorsteps and to facilitate this, Mamata Banerjee will officially inaugurate 218 mobile veterinary units across the state on Thursday as part of her distribution programme at Panchla in Howrah.

The state ARD department already has 126 mobile veterinary clinics. The new 218 units which will be launched on Thursday will cover all 344 blocks across the state.

The mobile veterinary units will consist of a veterinary doctor, pathologist, driver, attendant and medicines. State ARD minister Swapan Debnath said: “Mamata Banerjee has introduced telemedicine service. In a similar manner, she has shown her concern for the treatment of animals too and the state has thus developed a robust infrastructure for animal treatment.”“We have floated two toll-free numbers 1962 and 18003455573 on which villagers can make phone calls and we will arrange medical facilities for their pets. The service is available from 9 am to 5.30 pm. The latest infrastructure will provide a big boost to the delivery of animal healthcare services at the doorstep,” he added.

The control room associated with the call centre will immediately deliver the message of requisite treatment to the BLDO (Block Livestock Development Officer) for immediate intervention.

The minister said that Kolkata has a state-of-the-art hospital for treatment and operation theatre facilities for pets as well as bigger animals such as cows, buffaloes etc at the hospital adjacent to Prani Sampad Bhavan in Salt Lake. Treatment facilities are also available at the Bengal Veterinary College and Hospital in Belgachia.