15 Aug 2013

Power outages can lead to breaks in cold chain and affect efficacy of vaccines and as a measure to maintain cold chain, vaccines are removed from cold rooms and placed in cooler boxers filled with ice during protracted power outages, says Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi.

Mr Molebatsi said whilst damaged or expired vaccines were not necessarily harmful, they should not be used as livestock vaccinated with such vaccines may not be adequately protected against the target diseases.

And where there is a concern over efficacy of a batch of vaccine due to thermal damage or expiry, there would be a provision for the affected vaccine to be subjected to potency testing by the manufacturer, he assured.

MP for Kgalagadi, Mr Phillip Khwae, had asked the minister what measures he was putting in place for Livestock Advisory Centers in view of the continuous and unpredictable power outages countrywide and given that vaccines require cold storage.

He had also asked whether the efficacy of livestock drugs is not compromised by these power outages and if he can assure farmers that there are no risks posed to livestock in cases where the coldness required was not maintained in the storage of vaccines. Ends