WATCH | Calls for uMgungundlovu to be prioritised for FMD vaccines

With uMgungundlovu among the hardest-hit areas in the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, calls are mounting for the district to be prioritised in the rollout of newly arrived vaccines. KwaZulu-Natal has been allocated 200 000 doses of the Argentine-manufactured vaccine that arrived in the country on Saturday, and provincial leaders are now urging that uMgungundlovu be placed at the front of the queue. Speaking at a foot-and-mouth disease awareness programme at Cedara College of Agriculture on Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the scale of devastation in the district warrants urgent intervention.

He said he would engage President Cyril Ramaphosa, Premier Thami Ntuli and Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa to ensure uMgungundlovu is prioritised in the provincial rollout. Duma, who also serves as the district champion, said uMgungundlovu should be identified as both the first point of entry and first point of distribution for the vaccine in the province. Farmers in this district are the worst affected.

We are aware that there are over 17 000 farms in KZN [and] most of them from uMgungundlovu have been impacted. “uMgungundlovu should be at the top of the agenda in view of the devastation,” he said. He added that, beyond the 17 000 affected farmers, more than 201 livestock associations and dip tank committees have been impacted, with over 109 000 cattle affected by the outbreak.

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“It is for this reason that I believe this district should be prioritised. We have the biggest herd in the province and the biggest contributor being close to the N3 route as the district,” said Duma. He also commended provincial stakeholders for their efforts in combating the disease, adding that KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in uMgungundlovu, has established a dedicated war room to coordinate the response.

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