Decision of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture No. (5216518) dated 24/07/1445 AH
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Based on the powers granted to him by law
After reviewingthe Agriculture Lawissued by Royal Decree No. (M/64) dated 10/8/1442 AH, and its Implementing Regulation issued by Ministerial Decision No. (14967/1/1444) dated 15/1/1444 AH, and pursuant to the approval of His Excellency the Minister, explained on 11/3/1444 AH, on the letter of the General Directorate of Legal Affairs No. (26555/2384/1444) dated 9/3/1444 AH, delegating the Deputy Minister of Agriculture the authority to issue technical manuals related to the Implementing Regulation of the Agriculture Law, issue its conditions and regulations, amend them, and as required by the interest of work.
Decides the following:
First: Approving the Animal Health Manual in the attached format.
Second: This decision shall come into effect from the date of its publication, and shall be communicated to whom it may concern for approval and enforcement, and all previous decisions that conflict with it are hereby repealed.
And Allah is the Grantor of success.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Eng. Ahmed bin Saleh Ayadah Al-Khamshi
Animal Health Guide
Introduction
Animal health is considered a fundamental pillar for livestock production and the protection of human health. This guide is issued as one of the specialized guides under the Implementing Regulation of the Agriculture System, and it includes several main chapters that address various aspects of animal health, formulated in accordance with the One Health approach.
This guide includes guidelines and regulatory materials that complement the provisions mentioned in the Implementing Regulation of the Agriculture System concerning the protection and sustainability of the agricultural sector.
Animal health is one of the components of public health that focuses on the applications of veterinary sciences, which encompass all activities directly or indirectly related to animals and their products and derivatives, as long as they contribute to protecting and improving the material, moral, and social status of humans. Veterinary sciences have a rich history of contributions to public health, especially regarding the provision of safe and suitable food, the prevention, control, and eradication of zoonotic diseases, improving animal care methods, and contributing to biomedical research. Animal health plays a crucial role in preventing, reducing, and combating risks that threaten public health at their source.
The National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plants Pests and Animal Diseases (Wiqaya) works to combat endemic and transboundary animal diseases in accordance with the powers granted to it under its regulation issued by Council of Ministers Decision No. (152) dated 3/3/1442 AH.
The guide has been prepared to organize activities related to animal health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in accordance with the Agriculture System issued by Royal Decree No. (M/64) dated 10/8/1442 AH and its Implementing Regulation.
And may God grant success.
Definitions
Definitions:
Ministry | Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. |
|---|---|
Minister | Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture. |
Prevention Center | National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plants Pests and Animal Diseases. |
Notifiable Disease | A disease listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and included by the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plants Pests and Animal Diseases (Prevention Center) in the reporting lists of the center. |
Emerging Disease | A disease or infection or condition in domestic or wild animals that poses a threat to animals or humans, and this disease results from an unknown or new pathogen. |
Re-emerging Disease | A disease that has undergone a change in its epidemiology (increase in incidence or geographical range). |
Transboundary Disease | It is a highly contagious epidemic disease, capable of spreading rapidly and widely, causing severe economic and social impacts, and can cross national borders despite quarantine precautions, potentially harming human health and international trade in animals and their products. |
Endemic Disease | A disease or condition that is recorded periodically, using data to monitor changes in a specific population and its environment. |
|---|---|
Suspected Case | The presence of clinical signs that meet the case definition and are the result of a preliminary diagnosis by a physician or specialist. |
Probable Case | A suspected case that has epidemiological information indicating exposure to the disease. |
Confirmed Case | Confirmation of the presence of the pathogenic agent laboratory-wise by one of the approved scientific methods. |
Change in Disease Epidemiology | A change in the rate of occurrence or spread or diseases or mortality or strain of the pathogen or geographical range from what is recorded and recognized. |
Immediate Reporting | Reporting suspected cases of the specified disease or infection directly upon noticing the visible symptoms of the disease, or the presence of a history of infection or epidemiological information leading to suspicion of its occurrence, within a period not exceeding (24) hours from the suspicion or confirmation of the disease. |
Routine Reporting | Reporting suspected cases or infections of the specified disease through periodic reports on diseases and their spread or laboratory reports or epidemiological surveys or research. |
Chapter 1: General Provisions
Article 1
The Waqaa Center is the competent authority in maintaining animal health, and implementing and organizing preventive and control activities for animal diseases and their vectors in the Kingdom. The center applies all provisions of this evidence.
Article 2
Everyone related to livestock must provide all information and facilities to the Center for Animal Health and its specialist and administrative bodies to carry out its tasks regarding veterinary services and procedures, as well as the animal health programs established to combat animal diseases in the Kingdom.
Article 3
Agricultural establishments related to livestock and veterinary establishments are obligated to implement all procedures of biosecurity programs, infection control, and the prescribed vaccination programs, as well as to create records regarding the health status of animals and the veterinary medical products (vaccines and medications) used, which must be available when needed by the relevant authorities.
Article 4
Preparing, organizing, and implementing what falls within its jurisdiction of national plans for the preservation of animal health and the combating of diseases, including those shared between humans and animals, as well as preparing strategic and operational plans and emergency plans, in coordination with other relevant health and security authorities.
Article 5
Management of risks associated with animal health, through the assessment, monitoring, analysis, evaluation, and management of all such risks, whether internal or external, and determining the procedures necessary to protect livestock and humans from those risks or to mitigate their effects.