Health concerns
Sulaymaniyah proposes relocating poultry shops to address health concerns
SULAYMANIYAH – The Veterinary Department in Sulaymaniyah has recommended relocating poultry shops from urban neighborhoods to designated areas outside the city, alongside establishing centralized slaughterhouses in these locations. This proposal aims to tackle health issues arising from the current urban slaughtering practices, which have led to repeated demands for the closure of these shops.
“No chicken vendor in Sulaymaniyah’s urban neighborhoods has a license from us, and no licenses are being issued to them,” Burhan Omer, head of the slaughterhouses department at the Sulaymaniyah Veterinary Directorate, told 964media.
Urban poultry shops, where chickens are kept in confined spaces and slaughtered on-site, pose significant health risks due to their often unsanitary conditions. These establishments typically feature rows of cages crammed with live chickens, creating an environment ripe for the spread of diseases. The lack of adequate hygiene measures can lead to the contamination of meat with pathogens such as salmonella and campylobacter, which are common in poultry and can cause serious illness in humans.
The proximity of these shops to residential areas compounds the risk, as the unsanitary conditions can lead to unpleasant odors and attract pests, further spreading disease.
Omer emphasized that the chickens currently being slaughtered in these urban shops are not inspected, and the individuals performing the slaughtering often lack the necessary health certifications. This poses a risk of disease transmission.
The Sulaymaniyah Health Protection Directorate is set to launch a campaign to address the issue, which will include closing some shops and guiding others in obtaining the necessary licenses.
Despite numerous written requests to relocate these shops, their number has continued to grow.
“There is a necessity to establish chicken slaughterhouses outside the city of Sulaymaniyah. Chickens should be slaughtered and processed in these facilities before being brought into the cities for sale,” added Omer.
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