Online Reporter
South Africa has been battling a huge foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak since 2025.
The viral infection, which affects cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals like pigs, sheep and goats and wild animals such as giraffe, buffalo, and antelope, has spread to Botswana.
Namibia is on alert and has rolled out a range of measures to prevent its spread into its territory.
At least 24 000 cases were recorded in South Africa last year.
Estimates are that the country could lose more than $1 billion over the next decade due to the outbreak.
Tens of thousands of cattle have been slaughtered as a preventive measure, while multiple countries, including ours, Namibia and Zambia, have banned the importation of cattle, beef and beef products from South Africa.
Botswana is also labouring under a growing economic burden following outbreaks in many parts of that country.
The European Union, which imports 9 000 tonnes of beef from Botswana every year, suspended imports from Gaborone last month.
Cattle are big business in southern Africa, so an outbreak of the severe, highly contagious disease in any part of the region is a cause of concern.
The Department of Veterinary Services reported an outbreak in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South Province, in January.
In response, Zimbabwe and Botswana recently embarked on a five-day joint operation to vaccinate 78 000 animals in Mangwe, Gwanda, Beitbridge and Matobo after noting the districts’ proximity to Botswana and South Africa.
“The foot-and-mouth vaccination campaign is a bilateral programme which involves the governments of Zimbabwe and Botswana,” we cite Matabeleland South provincial veterinary director Dr Enat Mdlongwa as saying elsewhere in this issue.
“We have collaborated in a bid to try and control transboundary diseases, and this programme was particularly targeting foot-and-mouth disease. We received 100 000 doses of FMD vaccine from the Botswana government.
“We vaccinated 72 227 animals in Mangwe, Matobo, Gwanda and Beitbridge districts. We recorded a 93 percent coverage of the targeted 78 034 animals.”
Authorities did the right thing by moving so swiftly to vaccinate cattle in the danger zones.
At 93 percent, the success rate is commendable, and we hope that the speed at which the Government responded and the high coverage will be key to containing the infection in Mangwe.
The country has, for many years, been fighting against January Disease, yet another highly dangerous cattle infection, and thus cannot afford to start dealing with FMD on a national scale as well.
Farmers and Government officials must enhance their vigilance so that any signs of infection are dealt with promptly before the disease becomes a national challenge.
