Zimbabwe needs close to two million anthrax vaccine doses to effectively control the livestock disease in the country, a senior veterinary official has said.

Acting chief director at the Veterinary Services Department, Dr Pious Makaya said the country had so far procured only 426 000 anthrax vaccine doses from Botswana, and needs to bridge the deficit to effectively control the disease, which becomes acute in the rain season.

The country is hoping to produce enough anthrax vaccines locally from this year or next year, to be able to eradicate the livestock menace. There are 31 hotspot anthrax districts, and currently the country is battling to contain an outbreak which is suspected to have originated from Zambia.

“To effectively control anthrax, Zimbabwe – as a country – we (need) 1,6 to 2 million doses of anthrax (vaccine),” Dr Makaya said.

He said the vaccine amount would cover the 31 anthrax hotspot districts, and deal with the disease in others close to wildlife areas.

So far, the country has recorded 36 animal deaths from anthrax in Chipinge, Hurungwe, Gokwe North and South districts, and a total of 513 human infections.

Makaya said 57 000 cattle had been vaccinated against anthrax in Gokwe South, and strongly advised people against consuming meat from animals that died from unknown illness.

He said the outbreak of the disease in some areas originated in neighbouring Zambia where hippos in the Kariba area are suspected to be the source.

“The hippos are not Zambian, but we share wildlife with Zambia and they also come to Zimbabwe,” he said.

New Ziana