21 Nov 2017

Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Patrick Ralotsia says that government has not stopped  Anthrax and Quarter Evil vaccination.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Mr Ralotsia said currently vaccination for “these diseases was ongoing in the Southern, Central, North East, Ngamiland, South East, Chobe, Kweneng and Gantsi districts."

He said his ministry engaged private bakenti to carry out official vaccinations according to schedule citing that in Ngamiland and Chobe districts, the vaccination was coupled with the ongoing campaigns for the Foot and Mouth Disease vaccination which started in October 16 in Shakawe and Chobe District.

Mr Ralotsia said that his ministry had also been issuing Anthrax and Quarter Evil vaccines to farmers who were able to vaccinate for themselves and training those who were not able to do so.

He said cattle in the South East were last vaccinated for Anthrax and Quarter Evil in August 2016 and during the exercise, 15 945 cattle were vaccinated for Anthrax while 4 173 were vaccinated against Quarter Evil.

Mr Ralotsia further said that in 2017, 6 071 and 763 cattle had been vaccinated against Anthrax and Quarter Evil respectively in the ongoing campaign.

MP for Ramotswa, Mr Samuel Rantuana had asked the minister why government had stopped vaccinating the national cattle herd against Anthrax and Black Quarter Evil and what was being done to ensure those who had been given the mandate to vaccinate the national herd to do so on time.

He also wanted to know the date of  the last Anthrax vaccination in the South East. ENDS