The prolonged outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has prompted objections to the government’s “red tape”, which is restricting private sector producers willing to pay for vaccination imports to stem the spread.
This is according to interest groups Sakeliga, Saai and Free State Agriculture, who have sent a letter of demand to agriculture minister John Steenhuisen for livestock owners and the private sector to procure and administer FMD vaccines for their own herds.
“Allowing private vaccination would not impede the state’s efforts to respond to the FMD outbreak. There is more than enough vaccine available for import, and suppliers are willing and able to supply to the private sector,” the groups said.
“Private participation in vaccination would enable immediate, decentralised, and widespread responses by those most directly affected.”
Two weeks ago, Steenhuisen announced a 10-year plan to restore FMD-free status in South Africa.
The vaccination rollout for FMD, he said, required negotiations with various countries to find sources to buy the vaccines from. Livestock movement controls would be implemented to complement this. He also proposed a council be appointed to advise on strategy.
Farmers protested this was too protracted a policy.
In response to the letter from the lobby groups, Steenhuisen on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to private vaccinations.
“Centralised monitoring and state-led control over the process” were essential, he said.
The government’s plan to protect the national herd was formulated by a ministerial task team made up of private and public sector scientists, veterinarians and academics.
“The rollout of this plan, along with clear immediate, medium- and long-term timeframes, marks the first time in 30 years that the state has a clear roadmap to defeat FMD.
“The department maintains that claims proposing a vaccine free-for-all are short-sighted and reckless and fly in the face of established international and local precedence for disease control.”
TimesLIVE
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