Western Cape ramps up FMD vaccination drive
Farmers are taking a knock because of the foot-and-mouth disease.
Image: FILE
The Western Cape’s fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has received a major boost after 100,000 additional vaccine doses arrived at Cape Town International Airport, allowing authorities to accelerate vaccinations across key livestock regions.
The latest shipment, which arrived on Tuesday night, will be distributed across the West Coast, Cape Winelands and Garden Route districts, where the provincial government is intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak and protect the agricultural sector.
The Western Cape Government said the vaccination drive is being coordinated through a provincial “war room”, which meets regularly to monitor progress and manage the response.
So far, 48,612 animals have been vaccinated across the province, with 276 vaccination sites established and 29 private veterinarians assisting State Veterinarians with the rollout.
With the latest delivery, the Western Cape has now received 162,120 doses of FMD vaccines in total.
Authorities have also implemented additional containment measures aimed at limiting the spread of the highly contagious livestock disease. Warning road signs have been erected along major highways linking the Western Cape to neighbouring provinces, while checkpoints have been established along several major routes.
Since the first cases of FMD were confirmed in the province, the Western Cape Government said it has intensified efforts to control the outbreak through a 21-point response plan involving multiple stakeholders.
The plan includes strict movement control measures such as 24/7 border monitoring, as well as surveillance and traceability through rapid response teams from provincial veterinary services.
It also includes communication protocols, by-law enforcement, contingency planning, and recovery measures such as cleaning operations and monitoring of quarantine areas.
Premier Alan Winde said the progress made so far has been driven by collaboration across the agricultural sector.
“All of this progress is made possible through collaboration,” he said, commending agricultural stakeholders for their assistance in managing the outbreak.
“We will continue to intensify the response plan to protect this critical sector of our economy. I personally chair a weekly joint operation meeting with all stakeholders, including municipalities, to ensure that everything is being done to manage this crisis. In everything we do, we aim to protect growth, livelihoods and jobs.”
Western Cape MEC of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism Dr Ivan Meyer said the arrival of the additional vaccine doses marked an important step in strengthening the province’s response.
“The arrival of the 100,000 additional vaccine doses in the Western Cape marks a significant turning point. It means we can now accelerate vaccinations across the province, ensuring that we protect our livestock, support our farmers, and strengthen this vital sector of our economy,” Meyer said.
The province said the coordinated response has been supported by a number of agricultural industry bodies, including the Milk Producers Organisation, Red Meat Producers, Milk SA, Agri Western Cape and Shoprite.
Premier Winde is also in regular contact with national Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen regarding the introduction of a livestock movement permitting system to further strengthen the province’s containment measures.