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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
Progress has been recorded in containing theileriosis, better known as January disease, which had wreaked havoc nationwide, killing hundreds of livestock.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development implemented stop-gap and sustainable long-term measures to contain the January Disease and other tick-borne related diseases.
The country has witnessed a 47 percent reduction in the number of January disease cases and deaths of livestock.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr John Basera, said Government, after realising the need to contain January disease and other tick-borne related diseases, rolled out several programmes which included stop-gap and sustainable long-term measures.
“On the stop-gap measures we have the tick grease blitz programme where we were targeting over one million households and we distributed a 1kg of tick grease pack on each household,” he said.
“We believe that tick grease works in protecting livestock for about two to three weeks. We believe that interim stop-gap measure worked in our favour in terms of reducing the numbers in terms of January disease cases and deaths.
“It reduced the same by 47 percent, but we believe that the most sustainable way to contain January disease is to dip and we need to dip religiously for the next one and half to two years.”
In interviews, farmers said they were no longer worried about January Disease, as they had adopted coping mechanisms.
Mr Tonderai Makunde said he was happy with the Government’s intervention through the Directorate of Veterinary Services in managing the outbreaks of January disease.
“We have received a lot of support from the Government, from the reviving of dip tanks and making available tick grease for us small scale farmers,” he said. “We were afraid that our cattle were getting infected, but it seems the disease is now under control courtesy of the Government’s interventions.”
Mr Prince Tavenhave said he had adequate dipping chemicals in case his livestock got infected with January disease.
“When I first heard about the January Disease, I rushed to the veterinary chemists and purchased dipping chemicals because I do not want to lose my cattle,” he said. “Currently, I am making sure that they are dipped twice a week and I would like to thank the Government for making sure that dipping chemicals are readily available on the market.”
Ms Maureen Mukonoweshuro said her livestock had never been affected by January Disease, but commended the Government’s efforts in combating the spread of the disease.
“I would like to applaud the Government through its various departments and development partners for spearheading the ongoing fight against the spread of January Disease,” she said.
“At my farm in Chinhoyi, I always make sure that tick grease has been applied on my cattle and that they are dipped on a regular basis.”
Online Reporter