GOVT HANDS OVER THREE MOTORBIKES TO EXTENSION OFFICERS IN KAZUNGULA

THE Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has handed over three motorbikes to extension officers in Nyawa farming block of Kazungula with a caution from the local Member of Parliament, Clement Andeleki.

The motor bikes meant for officers to extend the surveillance of the East Coast fever which is apparently killing cattle in other regions.

Speaking during the handover to the officers, Dr Andeleki said the district has had a number of animals dying from East Coast fever and other animal diseases.

Dr Andeleki said, now that the extension officers have motorbikes, they should be able to execute their movements and help farmers.

He also requested the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) committee to consider funding the rehabilitation of dip-tanks in the district.

Meanwhile, Sothern Province Veterinary Officer, Sheppard Phiri said Kazungula is one of the districts that has had a number of animal diseases. "As a district we have received support from government and we will soon carry out a sensitisation of a particular disease surveillance of various cases.

Surprisingly most of Kazungula district has no dip tanks and those constructed a long time ago have defects and do not work," he said

"Our appeal is for stake holders to be dipping their animals regularly. You realize that 90 percent of diseases are tick borne diseases which can be avoided by way of dipping," he added.

"Most of the farmers are using napasac sprayers which are really effective. We want to resolve that by lobbying from DMMU so that they come to the aid of our farmers," Dr Phiri said.

"We have also asked the leadership of the district commissioner and the member of parliament to help avoid East Coast Fever.

Otherwise the situation in the province is that 12 districts have vaccinated against FMD. Over 997, 000 have vaccinated in the province.

And so we are grateful that we are not recording any positive cases of FMD because of the interventiont he government has put in place. What we are waiting for is the second round of vaccination so that the animals are protected against the disease," he said.

"The animals that we have in Kazungala are over 115,000. We gave them 111,000 doses of FMD vaccine and they have vaccinated over 110,000 animals. Our priority was to do 90 percent which we have done. The province has 1.3 million animals," he said.