BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE – Eswatini currently has no new or active cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), with the country surpassing the herd immunity threshold after vaccinating more than 82 percent of its national cattle herd.
As part of efforts to prevent future outbreaks, Government has also set aside E15 million to rehabilitate the national cordon fence along the country’s borders.
Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka announced the developments during a press briefing held on Monday at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters, describing the country’s progress as a major milestone in the fight against the highly contagious livestock disease while cautioning that vigilance must remain high.
The minister said although the country was in a much stronger position than it had been months ago, farmers should not become complacent. He warned livestock owners about an increase in cases of lumpy skin disease, saying many farmers mistakenly confuse it with FMD.
He explained that while both diseases may initially cause affected cattle to drool saliva, their symptoms later differ significantly.
“In lumpy skin disease, cattle do not limp and they do not develop sores inside the mouth. Instead, the sores appear on the outside of the skin,” he said.
Tshawuka thanked veterinary officials, farmers, development partners and everyone involved in the national response, saying their collective efforts had helped the country reach an important turning point.
He, however, stressed that disease surveillance and biosecurity measures would continue despite the encouraging progress.
The minister revealed that 453,629 cattle, representing 82 percent of Eswatini’s estimated national herd of 550,000 cattle, have now been vaccinated against FMD. Of these, 329,371 cattle have received a second dose, translating to 72 percent second-dose coverage.
Overall, Government has administered approximately 783,000 vaccine doses, as many animals required multiple vaccinations.
He explained that while most cattle received two doses, some had to receive a third dose because they had gone for an extended period without vaccination.
“There are specialists who have advised that once vaccination coverage reaches between 60 and 80 percent of the cattle population, a country achieves herd immunity or critical mass, meaning the disease has effectively been contained,” he said.
Tshawuka said when taking into account the cattle that were intentionally excluded from the vaccination programme, Eswatini’s effective coverage was close to 100 percent in the targeted areas.
He explained that Government deliberately decided not to vaccinate cattle in one area of the Hhohho Region because it had remained free from infection throughout the outbreak.
Instead, veterinary officials strengthened preventive measures in that area to ensure the disease does not spread there.
The minister said most of the approximately 100,000 cattle that remain unvaccinated are located in that disease-free zone.
“In all the areas where we had planned to vaccinate, we have almost completed the exercise,” he said.
He added that the vaccination mop-up exercise is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.
Following its completion, Government will begin easing some disease control measures introduced during the outbreak.
The minister said some veterinary checkpoints will be converted from wet checkpoints to dry checkpoints, while others will be decommissioned altogether.
However, he stressed that vehicle spraying and other surveillance measures would continue as part of efforts to prevent any reintroduction of the disease.
Government currently has about 69,000 vaccine doses remaining in storage at the national laboratory, which will be used to complete the final phase of the vaccination campaign.
The minister said another vaccine shipment has already been ordered to ensure the country maintains adequate emergency reserves should another outbreak occur.
Beyond vaccination, Government is also investing in strengthening physical disease barriers.
Tshawuka announced that E15 million has been allocated to rehabilitate 26 kilometres of the national cordon fence along Eswatini’s border, a critical infrastructure used to control livestock movement and prevent the spread of transboundary animal diseases.
He said the rehabilitation of the fence forms part of Government’s broader strategy to strengthen national biosecurity and safeguard the country’s livestock industry.
The minister also highlighted growing regional cooperation in tackling FMD.
He said Eswatini has been working closely with neighbouring Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to promote a coordinated regional vaccination approach.
He said meetings held in Zimbabwe, South Africa and France helped strengthen collaboration and showcase the progress being made in Eswatini.
According to the minister, France recognised the country’s vaccination programme and committed 50,000 vaccine doses, which are expected to arrive soon.
Tshawuka further revealed that during engagements with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Eswatini requested technical assistance on regaining its international disease status and eventually resuming livestock exports.
A WOAH technical team visited the country last week to assess the national FMD control programme.
“The good news is that the overall assessment from the team was that Eswatini is on the right track,” he said.
The team also provided guidance on the steps required for the country to regain access to international markets.
Among the recommendations was the adoption of a zoning approach, which would allow disease-free areas of the country to resume trade sooner while control measures continue in other areas if necessary.
The minister said WOAH experts also requested Eswatini to host a regional training workshop to share its experiences in combating FMD.
The request resulted in a three-day workshop held at the Hilton Garden Inn, where veterinary officials from several SADC countries gathered to exchange knowledge and strengthen regional preparedness against future outbreaks.
(Courtesy Pic)
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