Animal disease emergency ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a plan to deal with the menace of lumpy skin disease among cattle and buffalo.

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to declare a national disease emergency on account of an outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in the country ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

A vector-borne viral disease of cattle and buffalo, LSD emerged in November, 2021 primarily in Bahawalpur in Punjab and couple of districts in Sindh.

After confirmation of disease with the help of Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) at National Reference Veterinary Laboratory and Animal Health Laboratory, Islamabad, the disease was notified to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) formerly known as OIE for information of the regional and international trading partner countries.

Efforts were made to restrict the spread of LSD but the disease has proliferated in all the four provinces and is likely to spread further, particularly on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha when mass movement of sacrificial animals cannot be restricted.

Around 84,067 cases of LSD had been reported in the country as of June 16, 2022. Although the disease associated mortality is less than 1 percent at the moment however, experts warn it may reach up to 5 percent.

Economic losses from the disease include loss of milk and meat production, miscarriages among pregnant animals, infertility, loss of draft power, and damage to hides of affected cattle.

What is more, the outbreak threatens to disrupt livestock trade with the possibility of trade restrictions on export of animal products. Every one of these factors in turn contributes to considerable loss of livelihoods of farmers and significant distortions in milk and meat value chains.

If the disease remains uncontrolled, Pakistan is looking at an economic loss to the tune of PKR 80.4 billion, based on the estimates of morbidity and mortality rates in 53.4 million susceptible cattle population.

According to a limited survey in districts Rahim Yar Khan and Chakwal, 72-73 percent of milk reduction was reported in milch animals for a minimum of 60 days after the onset of the disease.

Officials says exotic breeds are found more susceptible to LSD than local cattle breeds.

Experts says mass vaccination of animals complemented by regulated animal movement and mass awareness are imperative to prevent further spread of disease. These measures are also essential to mitigating the negative impact on the milk and meat value chain and sustaining safe international trade.

But officials say these measures cannot be put into effect in the short window of time available before without declaring a national disease emergency for LSD.

The strategy and action plan proposed by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) in case of declaration of National Disease Emergency has been estimated to cost in the vicinity of PKR 3.8 billion.

Under the plan, all procurements including vaccine, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic reagents, etc., are to be made by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), while technical assistance will be provided by the Ministry of NFS&R in collaboration with Provincial Livestock Departments.

The plan says Pak Army support may be required to cover the target areas, especially border regions and hard-to-reach districts.

The ECC has approved declaration of national disease emergency, constituting an LSD Control Committee headed by Minister for NFS&R. The Committee will have representation from NDMA and include provincial chief secretaries, secretaries livestock, and local government departments.

Meeting weekly, the Committee will monitor the progress on implementation of action plan. Daily progress reports will be collected from the Provinces by Animal Husbandry Commissioner.

A summary for declaration of National Disease Emergency on account of Lumpy Skin Disease has been submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has ordered it to be placed before the ECC with justification of the cost for implementation of the strategy.