By Mapaballo Borotho
- South Africa has received one million high-potency Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines.
- Over five million vaccines are expected to enter the country by the end of March.
- Priority provinces will be vaccinated first as authorities work to contain the nationwide outbreak.
The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has received one million high-potency Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines.
This forms part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen South Africa’s expanding vaccination drive already underway in affected areas.
Steenhuisen says that by the end of March, a total of over five million vaccines will have entered the country from three international suppliers.
“Vaccination has already begun in affected areas, but supply has limited the speed and coverage,” said Minister Steenhuisen.
“With this arrival, we can now accelerate protection across priority provinces and stabilise the livestock sector.”
The outbreak of the disease, which affects livestock, has now been reported across all provinces, with quarantine measures, movement restrictions and surveillance continuing nationwide.
“A risk-based vaccination approach will prioritise outbreak epicentres in KwaZulu-Natal, parts of Gauteng, Free State and North West, while high-risk and border regions will follow structured vaccination programmes,” Steenhuisen added.
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