Lusikisiki: More than 1,300 cattle in the Eastern Cape's Ngobozana Administrative area have been vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) as efforts to contain the spread of the disease continue.
According to South African Government News Agency, the vaccination drive conducted on Friday is part of a broader provincial campaign that has seen over 302,000 cattle inoculated since the arrival of FMD vaccines in South Africa. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Zoleka Capa, who joined the campaign, commended the provincial department for its efforts to contain the outbreak. She emphasized the importance of coordinated interventions to protect livestock and safeguard rural livelihoods.
Capa expressed encouragement at the strong turnout of farmers supporting the campaign to ensure their cattle are vaccinated, stating, "We aim to continue with programmes that will help keep livestock healthy." Local farmer Sipho Giwu welcomed the initiative, noting the lack of access to vaccines and information among many farmers. He highlighted the significant losses caused by FMD across the country and expressed satisfaction that their animals are now being vaccinated.
Giwu also pointed out that the government is encouraging livestock tagging, which will help address stock theft, a major concern in the province. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen recently confirmed that the government has secured a steady supply of vaccines to sustain the campaign. To date, four million doses have been received, including 2.5 million from Biog©nesis Bag³ and 1.5 million from Dollvet.
An additional two million doses from Dollvet are expected by the end of April. Furthermore, an order for five million doses from Biog©nesis Bag³ has been placed through Onderstepoort Biological Products, with 3.5 million doses anticipated to arrive before the end of April 2026. Vaccination efforts are being implemented using a risk-based approach, prioritizing areas with high concentrations of susceptible livestock.
On 10 April 2026, Steenhuisen announced plans to publish a Routine Vaccination Scheme for FMD under the Animal Diseases Act, 1984. The proposed framework aims to strengthen long-term disease control measures. Public comments on the draft scheme closed on 17 April 2026, with submissions directed to the FMD Command Centre. The final scheme is expected to be published on 24 April 2026.
