Steenhuisen announces massive vaccine shipment in fight against foot-and-mouth disease

One million foot-and-mouth vaccines are expected to arrive in the country by Saturday to meet the government’s target of inoculating 80% of the national herd by December.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon during the debate on the State of the Nation Address.

Steenhuisen has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of the disease as a national disaster, which will help speed up the intervention process.

"We have for the very first time, a plan backed by science, and that has involved the private sector, every step of the way. This plan will succeed, and when it does the consequences will be profound and positive. Markets previously closed to South African beef will once again be available to u,s and certainty will return to the red meat sector."

A further 5 million vaccines from three different international suppliers are on order for a March delivery.

Amid criticism from the commercial farming sector that they may not vaccinate their own cattle, Steenhuisen has today also announced that private veterinarians may now register to assist with the state’s mass vaccination campaign.

"Mass vaccination will continue and be accelerated. Already, more than two million vaccines have been administered, and daily vaccines are being administered across the country. We are also working on veterinary capacity and it is being expanded. Today I can also announce that in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, private veterinarians can register to administer vaccines as part of the rollout strategy."

EXPLAINER | What is foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and how it affects us

ALSO READ: WC Agri Dept monitoring 5 cases of foot-and-mouth disease