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As Matabeleland continues to fight against foot and mouth disease since its detection at an auction in Bulawayo in April, the region has been hit by yet another cattle sickness, anthrax.
Many of us may actually have forgotten that public cattle auctions are still banned in parts of Matabeleland and Midlands as part of government measures to prevent the spread of FMD. The ban has affected business. CC Sales, the largest cattle auctioneer in southern Zimbabwe, reported in June that it had lost $600,000 in two months in potential revenue given the restrictions in cattle trade and movement. The loss as it relates to CC Sales must be millions now.
Indeed cattle diseases have blighted agricultural development in Matabeleland. Recurrent droughts have also had a hand, yet the importance of cattle to the rural economy and villagers, who actually rear more than 75 percent of the national herd of 5,3 million animals, is great. They are a source of material wealth when farmers sell them to raise money to pay fees, buy food, clothing and other needs. They are a source of prestige – the more cattle one has, the higher the social status. Cattle work on the farms as draught power too. They are also slaughtered for food, but diseases and droughts have conspired to deprive cattle owners in Matabeleland of these and more benefits.
What worries us the most is that the diseases are affecting the animals and people yet authorities seem incapacitated to effectively contain them.
We report elsewhere that villagers in Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South whose cattle have been affected by anthrax are desperate for government support in the form of drugs to curb the bacterial disease.
A total of 56 people have been infected with the disease that has so far killed 55 head of cattle out of the 4,113 head of cattle that are at risk of contracting and dying of the highly infectious disease. It is concentrated in eight villages; Gongo, Thusi, Sibomvu, Mzingwane, Msizini, Irrisvale,Tshalimbe and Godlwayo.
In cattle, signs and symptoms of anthrax include sudden death, rapid decomposition of the bloated carcasses and blood oozing out of the mouth, nose and other natural openings. In people, the most common signs are skin lesions that may appear on any part of the body, but mostly on hands and face. The lesions are characterised by a depressed black scar. Some present with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In rare cases it presents with difficulty in breathing, especially when there is lung exposure.
The farmers complain that apart from erecting three checkpoints in the red zone and the launch of an awareness campaign under which people are being warned not to eat beef from infected animals, officials have not brought along any vaccines to deal with the emergency.
Khowo Ncube, a villager had by yesterday lost three beasts while two of his children were hospitalised after they ate beef from an infected animal that sickened them. He speaks for hundreds of villagers when he expresses his puzzlement and desperation at the continuing impact of anthrax.
“We’re paying taxes to the veterinary Services Department. Where are they,” Ncube complained. “They are not assisting us in dealing with this problem. We pay $2 per head but we’re not receiving any service. It’s like paying for medical care without receiving medication. I’ve lost three head of cattle, you say a beast costs $400 but it actually costs $700. Calculate how much I’ve lost. It’s like someone stealing from me. The veterinary Services department is not assisting us. What is their purpose then?”
Merely preventing movement of cattle and cattle products does not do anything to bring the outbreak to a halt. Yes, it limits chances of the disease spreading to neighbouring districts, but the outbreak will certainly continue within, killing cattle, sickening them with a chance of doing the same to humans.
We emphasise the need for the government to lead the way in mobilising drugs, manpower, fuel and other important resources to bring the outbreak under control. Matabeleland South acting veterinary officer Dr Mbuso Moyo said 20,000 doses of vaccines and about 500 litres of fuel are required.
On its own the government is unlikely to be able to do so, but it can play a coordinating role by engaging development partners to put resources together. It is unfortunate that we don’t see much headway with regards to containing FMD over the past nine months.
This highlights the general challenges that the country faces in responding to livestock emergencies. The government has limited resources. It is worse for the poor farmer in Matabeleland South who already is affected by recurrent droughts, FMD and of course the economy.
derick.khumalo