1.
Introduction
The
role of laboratory animals in biomedical research & public
health is very crucial, mandatory and vital. Throughout the
history scientists have been solving medical problems,
developing new techniques for treatment & curing diseases by
using animals in biomedical research. Virtually every medical
achievement of the last century has been depending directly or
indirectly on research with animals. Because of animal
experimentation & research, both the human & animal now have.
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life saving surgical procedures.
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Cancer therapies. |
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Organ transplantations.
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Vaccines, life saving sera & drugs.
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Safe consumer products.
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Treatments & cures for countless disorders & diseases.
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Laboratory Animals are used in research because:
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Organs & body systems similar to other animals & humans.
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Susceptible to diseases that affect humans.
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Short life span allows animals to be studied throughout
their entire life. |
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Environment easily controllable to keep experimental
variable to a minimum. |
Accordingly Animal Management Section (including Animal House &
Stable) has been functioning as one of the fundamental and
mandatory components of the Bureau of Laboratories, National
Health Laboratories and National Institute of Health (NIH). The
Animal Management Section was up-graded to Veterinary & Farms
Managements Sub-Division (VFMS) in May 1998 due to ever
increasing demand, importance and vitality of laboratory animals
by/for NIH and other scientific/academic institutions of the
country involving animal experimentation/research.
2. Objectives
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To attain self-sufficiency in
breeding, rearing and up-keeping of the most needed laboratory
animal species. & supply of the same to the concerned
Sections/Divisions of NIH as well as to the other needy
Institutions in the country. |
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To keep healthy and disease
free horses in such a number and environment whereby a quantity
of antiserum be produced to make Pakistan self sufficient in
life saving anti snake venom and antirabies sera.
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3.
Mission
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To cater
for the needs of NIH by providing laboratory animals as per
requirement for various
biological testing and to supply the surplus if any to other
scientific/research institutions of the country.
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To provide
whole blood from healthy hyper immunized horses for production
of life saving hyper immune sera. |
4. Set up of the Sub-Division
5. Performance &
Achievements
Achievements of Laboratory Animal
House during the year 2008-2009
| S.# |
Name of Animal Specie/Product |
Bred /Produced |
Supplied to various Divisions of NIH |
Supplied to other Institutes of the country |
| 1 |
Mice (BALB-c) |
23850 |
18871 |
4112 |
| 2 |
Rat (Sprague Dawley) |
1850 |
- |
1740 |
| 3 |
Rabbit |
210 |
160 |
51 |
| 4 |
Guinea-Pigs |
195 |
90 |
38 |
| 5 |
Sheep Blood |
10800 mls |
9600 mls |
1200 mls |
| 6 |
Rabbit Blood |
360 mls |
360mls |
- |
| 7 |
Laboratory Animal Feed |
14800 kg |
13651kg |
1149kg |
| 8 |
Research Facilitation |
The Animal based research of 02
M.Sc.,05 M.Phil leading to PhD,02 FCPS and 01 PhD
researcher were facilitated in laboratory animal house
of NIH. |
Achievements of Stable section during
the year 2008-2009
| Quantity of hyper immunized blood
supplied to sera section |
1,730,000ml |
6. Future
Plan
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Up-gradation and
remodeling of Existing lab-animal facility according to cGMP requirements.
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Up gradation and improvement of old Stable for enhanced
production of hyper immune sera. |
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