GP Agriculture MEC calls for locally produced vaccines to counter foot-and-mouth disease

MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development in Gauteng, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, has renewed calls for the local manufacturing of vaccines to combat foot-and-mouth disease, as South Africa grapples with its worst outbreaks in years.

The call comes amid growing concerns over the spread of the highly contagious disease, which has left thousands of animals affected in several provinces.

This follows an announcement by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen of a 10-year national strategy aimed at eradicating foot-and-mouth disease

Ramokgopa said reliance on imported vaccines has exposed the country to delays and shortages of vaccines

"There was a time when we were manufacturing those vaccines. Our view is that we need to get back and rebuild capacity and ensure that the institution is capacitated with the best management and best resources, where there is infrastructure that needs to be reinvested."

Ramokgopa said the province is adopting an accelerated multi-stakeholder approach to contain a further spread of the foot and mouth outbreak.

This will include enhanced surveillance, and coordination among various departments.

The provincial government has warned that the outbreak poses risks to the economy, with potential disruptions to trade and job losses in the livestock sector

The mitigating measures include establishing roadblocks, checkpoints and route controls in identified high-risk areas.

Ramokgopa said special focus will be placed on access routes in areas such as Dinokeng where there is heightened risk of infection to disease-free buffalo populations and other biodiversity assets

“The goal of the provincial government is to quickly suppress the virus and achieve disease free status as soon as possible.”

She added that the interventions form part of a coordinated national and provincial response aimed at strengthening disease surveillance and enforcement.