The Department of Parasitology of the University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore in partnership with Pakistan Society of Parasitology (PSP) arranged International Conference on “Food Safety through Parasite Control” (PARACON-2019) at City Campus Lahore.
Vice-Chancellor University of Education (UoE) Lahore presided over the inaugural session of the conference while UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Masood Rabbani, Chairman Department of Parasitology/President Pakistan Society of Parasitology (PSP) Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf, Dr Ali Raza Sazmand from Bu-Ali Sina University Iran, Prof Dr Neil from UKand many other renownedveterinary & medical practitioners, parasitologists, scholars, researchers, academicians and experts from different countries, including the USA, UK, Iran, Tunisia and all over Pakistanwere present in the conference.
Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said while addressing the audience in the inaugural session “parasitic deadly diseases of dairy animals are affecting livestock sector. He said we are getting food like milk and meat from these animals like buffalo, cattle, sheep and goat and this conference is mainly focusing on food safety through parasitic control”.
He said such parasites like (Congo, ticks) affect the productivity of dairy animals and cause diseases (theileriosis) in dairy animals which cause economic loss of livestock farming community.
He said the conference would provide an opportunity to learn experiences and latest knowledge regarding disease diagnosis awareness and emerging issues and challenges related to parasitology field from well-known national & international experts and their recommendation would beeffective in meet challenges and parasitic issues of livestock sector.
Prof Dr Masood Rabbani said that the conference covered all the major areas related to diagnostics, chemoprophylaxis, anti-parasitic and vaccines of parasites, zoonotic parasitic diseases and vector borne disease, role of veterinarians under one-health concept epidemiology and integrated pest management, etc.
He said UVAS disseminates knowledge of science and is producing a large number of parasitologists every year.
He lauded the role of organizing team in arrange such an informative conference and thanked national and international delegations who participated in this conference to make it successful event.
Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf spoke about the objectives and theme of the conference.He also presented the vote of thanks.He lauded different organizations from public and private sectors on their active participation and funding to make this a result-oriented conference.
He said through this conference we can solve many parasitic disease related issues of livestock.
The aim of the conference was to bring together veterinary & medical practitioners, parasitologists, researchers, academia, postgraduate students and professionals regarding “Food Safety through Parasite Control” withthe latest research, sharing ideas and innovative knowledge.
Later Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha along with Prof Dr Masood Rabbani and Prof Dr Kamran Ashraf took the round of poster exhibition and stalls in the conference PARACON-2019.
Four technical scientific sessions in PARACON-2019, 32 oral, 40 poster presentations and four pre-conference workshops on different topics were organised.