Veterinary quarantine facilities at Al Ruwais, Hamad Ports ready

The construction of the veterinary quarantine facilities at Al Ruwais and Hamad Ports have been completed and they are set to be inaugurated in August, said engineer Abdulaziz al-Ziyara, director of the Livestock Department at the Ministry of Municipality.

He told local Arabic daily Arrayah that all imported livestock will be subject to the necessary quarantine procedures at these facilities to ensure they are free from any infection and diseases, in order to protect the livestock wealth in the country.Both facilities, considered among the best in the Middle East, has a slaughterhouse and an incinerator each. This would eventually limit the risks undertaken by the importer, as the animals will be slaughtered inside the quarantine facility in case they are diagnosed with any disease.The official recalled that work of the two quarantine facilities started around one year and a half ago. Al Ruwais Port quarantine is spread across 40,000sqm, while that at Hamad Port is 60,000sqm.

Al- Ziyara explained that the currently applicable system is that before importing any cargo of livestock from abroad, a risk analysis is carried out to ensure that the source is free from infectious diseases before approving the issuance of import permit. When the cargo arrives at the country's ports, veterinarians inspect the cargo inside the means of transport, to confirm the accompanying health certificates. In case of any apparent symptoms of diseases among the animals, the cargo will be held and samples taken for laboratory examinations. If the sample is free from diseases, the cargo will be allowed entry into the country, but if there were confirmed results of infection the cargo will be re-exported to the country of origin.The official stressed that the large capacities of the two quarantine facilities will allow for receiving more than one cargo simultaneously until they are released and got the necessary clearance. The two facilities have been equipped with laboratories equipped with the most sophisticated machinery and tools, which are capable of giving accurate results quickly.