Afridi launches Rs2.6b livestock health plan

145 mobile clinics, 27 labs to expand vet services

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday inaugurated a Rs2.6 billion livestock health programme aimed at improving animal healthcare and supporting the livelihoods of livestock farmers.

The plan, titled "Ehsaas-e-Bezaban Sehat Gaari", includes 145 mobile veterinary clinics and 27 mobile laboratory testing units, along with the deployment of 202 veterinary doctors and assistants.

According to a brief given by the livestock department, the mobile clinics will provide vaccination, diagnostic, treatment and emergency veterinary services at the tehsil level, expanding access to essential veterinary care for livestock farmers in remote and underserved areas.

The briefing stated that the mobile veterinary network will be integrated with a central digital dashboard to strengthen service monitoring, oversight and operational management.

Mobile milk-quality testing laboratories will also support systematic monitoring of milk quality and provide on-site testing facilities for the detection of adulteration and harmful contaminants.

Speaking at the inauguration, the chief minister noted that "Ehsaas-e-Bezaban Sehat Gaari" was not merely a mobile veterinary service but rather represented a commitment, a sense of responsibility and a vision for the welfare of livestock and the communities that depend on them.

"No farmer should be deprived of quality veterinary services because of geographical distance or location," Afridi said.

He stressed that protecting livestock from disease, inadequate care and limited access to veterinary services was a collective responsibility, adding that the programme was designed not only to provide treatment but also to strengthen disease prevention and improve livestock productivity.

"Livestock represents an important source of income, nutrition and financial security for millions of families across the province, the chief minister said, adding that modern, quality and timely veterinary services were being brought closer to livestock farmers so that they would not have to travel long distances for the treatment and care of their animals.