Cyprus to receive 8,5 million euro to combat animal diseases

The European Commission adopted Thursday a financial package of 275 million euro to support programmes to eradicate, control and monitor animal diseases in 2010. Cyprus will receive 8,2 million euro to combat scrapie of sheep and additional 320.000 euro for the control of animal diseases.

The 224 annual or multi-annual programmes which were selected for EU funding will tackle animal diseases that impact both human and animal health.

The large EU contribution towards these programmes reflects the high level of importance attached to disease eradication measures, for the protection of both animal and public health, an EU press release says.

EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said ''the motto of our animal health strategy is 'prevention is better than cure'. If the spread of certain animal diseases is not prevented, it can affect both animal and public health. That is why we are prioritising programmes covering diseases that might be transmitted to humans ''.

Each year the Commission approves programmes for the eradication and monitoring of animal diseases, for the control of zoonoses such as salmonella, for the monitoring and eradication of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) and for avian influenza surveillance. These approved programmes receive financial contributions from the EU.