FMD remains a state-controlled disease and must be handled by the government. However, the red meat industry has stepped up this year to help the government where processes are lagging and where the government is asking for help. “Things definitely look different than they did in 2019 and since then,” says Dewald Olivier, CEO of the Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS).
By Alani Janeke, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
The operational centre that the RMIS established this year to display FMD outbreaks on a national map on their website as cases are reported and confirmed, as well as the fact that the industry can appoint technicians to help with the backlog in blood tests at registered laboratories, are some of the aspects that are being handled differently during this year’s outbreak.
“Previously, the report on new outbreaks would only come out once a month and new outbreaks would only be announced a month after they occurred. Now it is indicated on our map in real time as we receive information on possible new cases and confirmed cases,” says Olivier.
Locations marked red on the map are where the disease has been confirmed and where properties are under quarantine. Locations marked orange are where outbreaks are suspected and the location is under quarantine while waiting for the final results of the blood tests.
Click here to view the map.
The pilot project through which private livestock owners can purchase doses of the vaccine that the government imports from the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) is another big difference. This project is currently underway and the finer details are yet to be determined.
