A further 1,5 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine are expected to arrive from Biogénesis Bagó later this week, another 1 million doses in the first week of March and 5 million doses later in March.
By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming
This is in addition to the promised 20 000 doses of locally produced FMD vaccine per week from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). By 2027, the ARC’s production is expected to increase to 200 000 doses per week.
Vaccine doses will also be imported from the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) and from Dollvet in Türkiye.
The first 1 million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine imported from the Argentine biotechnology company Biogénesis Bágo, which arrived on Saturday afternoon, 21 February, at O.R. Tambo International Airport, will be distributed to all provinces, although the majority will be used in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and North West, where the most severe outbreaks of the disease are occurring, according to Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen. He says he hopes this shipment will help to get ahead of the current outbreaks of the disease.
The Department of Agriculture’s target is still to have up to 80% of the national herd vaccinated by December this year and to achieve a 70% reduction in outbreaks, Steenhuisen says. And since FMD is a state-controlled disease, farmers will not have to pay for the vaccines distributed by the state.
Also watch: Here’s how the FMD vaccines will be rolled out
FMD Helpline
The national Department of Agriculture has established a dedicated FMD control centre, and from Wednesday, 18 February, farmers can call the toll-free support line 0860 246 640 for advice on FMD.
The helpline provides information on:
- FMD symptoms
- Advice on movement control and permits
- Updates on vaccine availability and vaccinations
- Practical guidance on maintaining farm biosecurity
Also read:
Joy as hardest hit KZN gets 200k doses of FMD vaccine
Private importer jumps through hoops to get FMD vaccine into SA
WATCH | Cost of FMD vaccines – ‘Now is not the time to make a profit,’ says Steenhuisen
