The South African government will allow private companies to import, distribute, and administer foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines, according to Reuters, citing representatives of farmers' organisations.
Previously, the government maintained exclusive control over both the importation of FMD vaccines and the vaccination of livestock.
The policy shift follows the settlement of a legal dispute between the government and agricultural organisations. The lawsuit was brought by Free State Agriculture, the Southern African Agri Initiative, and the business advocacy group Sakeliga, which argued that the government's response to the outbreak had been "fragmented, slow, and structurally incapable of matching the scale and pace of the outbreak."
Following the agreement, the parties decided to withdraw the lawsuit. Private companies will now be permitted to procure FMD vaccines independently and carry out vaccination programmes.
At the same time, the South African government will continue implementing its national vaccination programme, which aims to immunise 80% of the country's cattle population, estimated at approximately 14 million head.
In recent months, livestock producers have criticised the government's handling of the outbreak, reporting significant economic losses resulting from the spread of FMD and what they describe as an insufficiently rapid response.
Experts note that involving the private sector could accelerate vaccination efforts, improve vaccine availability, and strengthen the country's capacity to control the disease. The new approach could also play an important role in stabilising the animal health situation and restoring confidence in South Africa's veterinary system.
PigUA.info, based on ThePigSite.com