Wed, 17 Jan 2018 13:57:27 +0000
By LINDA SOKO TEMBO
MINISTRY of Livestock and Fisheries director of health services, Yona Sinkala has disclosed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) which killed over 12, 000 pigs in the country has been contained.
Dr. Sinkala said the disease, which had broken out in three provinces – Muchinga, Northern and Luapula – had been controlled after taking control measures.
In an interview with the Daily Nation, Dr. Sinkala said the ministry had taken serious measures to ensure that the epidemic was controlled because the disease did not have a vaccine and there was no form of treatment for it.
“Right now, I can confirm with you that since December last year, we have seen a reduction in the number of cases and right now as I’m talking to you we are not having any new cases in these three provinces
“Right now with the strict measures of our movement, control and movement of pigs and pig’s products the situation has stabilised,” Dr. Sinkala said.
He said the African Swine Fever was suspected to have been contracted from a neighbouring country through illegal trade of pigs.
Dr. Sinkala said the ban of moving pigs and the sale of live pigs and the produce had helped in containing the disease.
“Banning the movements of live pigs as well as the sale of pig and pig products has helped to control the disease.
“We had a big problem where people used to break the law with impunity and moved pigs to other areas spreading the disease,” Dr Sinkala said.
He urged livestock farmers to improve their biosecurity of pigs and confinement or build them housing structures which were quite secure to avoid the spread of the disease.
Dr Sinkala advised livestock farmers who depended on pigs for their livelihood to venture into poultry and goat selling until the provinces were declared free from the African Swine Fever.
