KwaZulu-Natal's proactive approach to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease with mass vaccination
South Africa's resumption of locally producing Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccines has been welcomed, but calls are being made for more urgent action, collaboration and flexibility in managing the disease.
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The KwaZulu-Natal Government has initiated a comprehensive awareness campaign regarding Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) as it prepares for a mass vaccination rollout.
On Tuesday, Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, accompanied by his Members of the Executive Council (MECs), traversed the province to raise awareness and implement immediate measures aimed at curbing the disease's spread, including restrictions on livestock movement.
In an interview on Tuesday, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa stated that as the government gears up for the mass vaccination programme, the premier has instructed all MECs to visit every district to inform residents and ensure they are prepared for the rollout, which is set to commence towards the end of the month.
“We will be starting a mass vaccination rollout towards the end of the month, so we are driving that message to the farming communities throughout the province. We urge cattle owners to be ready for the programme by ensuring that they keep their livestock that grazes far from their homes,” said Madlopha-Mthethwa.
Madlopha-Mthethwa highlighted that KwaZulu-Natal is the province most severely impacted by the disease, which has disrupted the economy and jeopardized food security, particularly in the export market.
She reassured that FMD-infected cattle are safe for human consumption; however, the disease has significantly affected the export market, as many foreign countries have ceased importing beef from South Africa.
Additionally, Madlopha-Mthethwa announced that the country has commenced local vaccine production. Last week, the first batch of 12,000 vaccines was released and is ready for distribution. For the time being, the efficacy of these vaccines will be tested in the less affected Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces.
The locally produced vaccine remains effective for 12 months within the cattle's system, while the imported vaccine offers a six-month guarantee. Currently, South Africa is sourcing vaccines from Botswana and Turkey. The mass vaccination initiative aligns with Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s strategy to eradicate the disease nationwide.
Last week, Steenhuisen revealed his decision to withdraw from the Democratic Alliance's (DA) leadership race to concentrate on addressing the disease, with the goal of eliminating it permanently.
“For the rest of the term of office, I will focus all my time and energy as Minister of Agriculture on defeating the most devastating FMD outbreak our country has ever seen and pursue mass vaccination to ensure that this is the last mass outbreak,” Steenhuisen said.