Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen says achieving foot-and-mouth-free status is a monumental task that will not happen overnight. Steenhuisen led a briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday to present, what he described, as a realistic and technical plan to tackle the outbreak that has struck various provinces.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a controlled animal disease in
South Africa. FMD is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact
between infected animals, as well as via contaminated vehicles, equipment, feed
and clothing. It affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats,
and pigs, causing painful sores in the mouth and on the feet. FMD does not
affect humans. Any suspicion of the disease must be reported immediately to a
state veterinarian.
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COURTESY: WCDoASteenhuisen says the strategy will be implemented in phases
over the next ten years, beginning with stabilisation, followed by
consolidation, the eventual withdrawal of vaccination, and finally the
attainment of disease-free status recognised by the World Organisation for
Animal Health.
The minister said a task team was established to combat the
spread of FMD. Its led by Dr Emily Mogajane, tasked with translating the vision
of “FMD Free through Vaccination” into a high-impact, actionable strategy
Steehuisen says to maintain transparency and cross-sector
alignment, this task team reports directly to the Value Chain Round-Tables.
This structure ensures that every stakeholder – from local producers to
international trade partners – is represented in the decision making process.
Steenhuisen says the department is strengthening its
laboratory network, which will work with existing state laboratories to ensure
that results are received timeously. It will also implement a digital livestock
and traceability system to ensure that animal movements are safe and tracked.
FMD outbreak started in 2021 when animals moved from
Phalaborwa to KwaZulu-Natal. According to the minister, the Northern Cape is currently
the only province that has never reported an outbreak of FMD. Up to date, it has
vaccinated almost two million animals since the recent outbreaks occurred.
Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, said a whole of
society approach is needed to eliminate the spread of FMD, and has called on farmers
to work hand-in-hand with State Veterinarians, to report clinical signs immediately,
and to strictly adhere to movement controls.
Done By: Mitchum George
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