The lone FDIL in Khulna div yet to launch operation

JHENIDAH, Oct 8: Identifications of disease and treatment of animals and birds within south western (S-W) region of the country are facing intensive setback as the only Field Disease Investigation Laboratory (FDIL) of Khulna division situated in Jessore is yet to launch operation.
Construction work of the FDIL at Shankorpur on the outskirts of Jessore town at a cost of around Tk 10 million, that started in 2011 ended in 2012 under 'Avian Influenza Preparedness Project (AIPRP), Livestock, Dhaka'.  However, the lab has remained paralysed due to lack of manpower and monetary budget.
With Dr. A.S.M. Atiquzzaman, upazila livestock officer (ULO), Jessore Sadar serving as the officer-in-charge and two other employees working on deputation from the Livestock Department, the diagnostic centre is suffering from inertia.
The centre has been established with a view to testing of stool of cattle, hens and ducks, conducting their postmortem and identification of avian influenza through supplied rapid test kit and so on.
According to the sources concerned, all types of furniture by the contractor, a double-cabin pickup and elisa plate reader machine from AIPRP and washer & ph metre machine from SSCAICIB projects, have been supplied.
Since there is no boundary wall on two sides, movement of drug-addicts has increased widely, local people said.
All connections, including electricity one, have been cut off due to non-payment of bills, sources concerned said.
At present, the FDIL building and its goods are lying unprotected and theft has already occurred two times.
Now samples collected through upazila livestock offices in Khulna division are sent either to Central Disease Investigation Laboratory (CDIL), Dhaka or to FDIL, Manikgonj, which is time -consuming and expensive. Animals-birds often die before reports from laboratories come back to the offices concerned.
A reliable source in District Livestock Office, Jessore said starting of operation with creation of posts for the FDIL is inevitable so as to ensure healthcare of animals-birds under 10 districts of the division.
The officer-in-charge, FDIL, Jessore told this correspondent, "Though I had written repeatedly to the Director General of Livestock Department for appointment of manpower and allotment of budge, any step is yet to be taken."