Introduction / Background 

The Executive Director designated the Veterinary and Farm Management Sub-Division (VFMS) in May 1998 as a first step for the establishment of “Integrated Primary Health & Environmental Management Division (IPH&EMD) at NIH, Islamabad. It initially consists of Animal House / Animal Management Section, Stable Section and Cultivation Section including Trees and NIH land in order to achieve the assigned targets and to perform its assigned functions more effectively and efficiently. 

The laboratory animals constitute one of the essential features of a research institute.  In the institute these animals are used for the production and quality control of life saving vaccines and hyper immune sera (e.g. sheep brain –rabies vaccine, antivenins and anti-rabies serum etc) and in quality control of medicines, drugs and other pharmaceutical products under the drug Act.1976. Moreover, laboratory animals and animal products (whole blood, blood cells / sera etc) are used in diagnosis of disease, bio-medical research. However, the most needed laboratory animals i.e. albino mice / rat etc had almost remained short at NIH in the past.   Therefore, the main challenging task of this newly established and unique sub-division was to attain self- sufficiency in breeding, rearing and supply of these laboratory animal species to the concerned sections / divisions of the institute and other potential users i.e. universities, colleges and other institutions of biological, biochemical, pharmaceutical and medical research throughout the country.  

The present stock of laboratory animals comprises 130 horses and thousands of other laboratory animals including, mice, rats, guinea-pigs, New Zealand white rabbits and cyclic procurement, rearing and supply of venomous snakes (Cobra, Krait, Russell Vipers, Echis etc), local rabbits and sheep.

Functions of VFMS      

1.    A national referral facility for breeding, rearing, and supply of laboratory animals to the institute and other potential universities, colleges & other medical and research institutions of both public & private sectors throughout the country and to the neighboring countries like Afghanistan.

2.   Provision of laboratory animals for production and quality control of life saving vaccines & hyper-immune sera the final testing of pharmaceutical products by the appellate drug testing laboratory under the Drug Act.1976.

3.   Provision of laboratory animals and normal blood / serum of various animal species to the divisions / sections of NIH for disease diagnosis and biochemical research / experiments and for preparing culture  media.

4.   Procurement, rearing and supply of poisonous snakes to BPD for snake venom for the production of life saving anti-venoms against snake bites.

5.    Production and supply of green fodder to the laboratory animals (herbivorous) through out the year.

6.    Environment management through environment friendly farming, horticulture work, irrigation, plantation and disposal of solid waste / garbage, as well as proper incineration of dangerous materials and dead animal carcasses.

Achievements 

During the period under report the VFMS has made reasonable progress in production of green fodder and has not only attained self-sufficiency in its production for feeding the laboratory animals but also sold some surplus green fodder to the local users.

In recognition of the services rendered by the VFMS the Executive Director decided to integrate the Horticulture Sub-Division with the VFMS under the supervision of the Head VFMS in August 2001. The Horticulture Sub-Division (HSD) after its integration has also made remarkable progress and besides improving the routine activities has also developed a number of lawns, gardens / orchards.

HSD in collaboration with Cultivation Section assisted in over all environmental management through environment friendly farming, irrigation, plantation, maintenance of lawns, proper disposal of fallen trees, fire wood, solid waste management and incineration of dangerous materials / animal carcasses.

The development project “ Extension of Stable for Enhanced production of life saving hyper and sera / vaccine at NIH” has been approved worth Rs. 27,118 million. Work is in progress.                  

Statement Showing The Procurement / Breeding / Supply Of Laboratory Animal                                       

          Statement Indicating the Stable Activities 

          Farms & Cultivation Activities 

Future Plans

To enhance revenue on sustainable basis, the institutional and national resources will be utilized. It is proposed that a center of excellence, “Integrated Primary Health Care & Environmental Management Division”, for multidisciplinary research, may be established at NIH.  In this context two PC-1s are under preparation and after completion will be submitted to Ministry of Health for approval:

                     i)        Establishment of National Resource Center for raw material of Traditional                              Medicine (Traditional Medicine Park & Botanical Garden) at National                              Institute of Health, Islamabad. 

                     ii)   Establishment of a model Health Care Waste Management unit at NIH.