In the nationwide effort to vaccinate animals against lumpy skin disease, the Department of Livestock has vaccinated more than 60 per cent of the susceptible animals so far. Of the nearly 295,000 animals at risk in the country, the team has vaccinated over 193,000.
More than 250 officials consisting of veterinarians, livestock production officers, and laboratory technicians are engaged in the campaign. The teams have covered 186 Gewogs as of yesterday.
To reach the country’s most remote and inaccessible areas, the teams have been enduring several days of walking through terrains, including steep hills and dense forests among others to ensure every cattle and yak herd receives the immunisation.
The team vaccinated the highest number of animals with nearly 19,000 in Trashigang, followed by Samtse and Wangdue Phodrang.
The highest number of deaths was recorded in Thimphu with 678 cattle and yaks dead, followed by Tsirang and Paro with 238 and 237 respectively.
The department is targeting to complete the vaccination campaign by the end of this month.
“This coverage of vaccines has been possible because of the dedication and commitment that our colleagues that are on the field have shown. In the highland areas, they have been travelling day and night through rugged terrains, crossing huge rivers, and crossing the vastness of swamps that they have to reach every herd. In the lower regions, our colleagues have been confronting the monsoon rains, as well as the scorching sun but they have not been deterred by all these challenges,” said Dr Sangay Rinchen, programme director of the National Centre for Animal Health, Department of Livestock.
He added that should the country face a shortage of dairy produce due to the outbreak, the department is prepared to import from other countries.
‘‘For now, we are not concerned about the shortage of dairy produce in the country. Should there be any event where the dairy produce is not sufficient in the country the Department of Livestock and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock would devise strategies, and among them importing the products from other countries would be one,’’ added Dr Sangay.
The government procured more than 338,000 doses of lumpy skin disease vaccines worth Nu 20.5 M from Turkey last month.
Since the first outbreak from Samtse in January, the viral disease among cattle and yaks has killed more than 2,000 and affected around 17,000 animals across the country.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
