Combatting disease: Tharparkar’s livestock to be vaccinated

Thousands of small animals were killed by the contagious disease PPR last year

KARACHI:

Thousands of goats and sheep died in an outbreak of the contagious disease 'peste des petits ruminants' (PPR) - called 'kata' or 'mata' locally - across Tharparkar district last year.

The mortality caused massive economic losses to the people of Thar, whose major source of livelihood is livestock. The district is home to over 6.5 million animals.

For the first time in the history of Tharparkar, however, a project aiming to eradicate the disease once and for all has been launched. Officials believe that with this project, titled 'Control of PPR Disease', the problem of not only PPR but other fatal diseases would also be resolved.

The Sindh livestock department, with the help of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has launched the project in Mithi taluka, with the target of vaccinating over 0.3 million small animals in the area over the duration of 15 to 30 days.

"This vaccination will eradicate the disease from the area forever," claimed provincial livestock minister Jam Khan Shoro at the project launch in Hariyar village near Mithi. He said that other related diseases would also be covered, adding that the campaign would help the department get data about the small animals in the area.

While the livestock department does not have an accurate idea of how many goats and sheep were killed by PPR last year, sources from the district place the number in thousands.

In Tharparkar, animals are left to roam freely instead of being restricted to a limited area. Keeping this in mind, six 18-member teams in mobile vans have been tasked with completing the campaign. Officials said that although the minimum duration of the drive was 15 days, it would be extended if the entire population was not covered.

"There is no treatment for PPR," said animal breeding director Dr Abdul Qadir Junejo. "However, after this vaccination, there will be no mortality." He added that it was hard to control the disease once it had broken out.

According to livestock department officials, Tharparkar's goats produce 300,000 litres of milk per day. "If the government helps the people of Thar in managing their livestock, they will be economically sound within a few years," an official claimed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2015.