Maseru, Feb. 26- A few days after confirmation of a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Lesotho, the Multi-Sectoral Task Team is set to convene to map the way forward.
This was revealed by Director of Livestock Services, Dr. Keneuoe Lehloenya, in an interview with the Agency on Wednesday.
She said the FMD Multi-Sectoral Task Team will be meeting for the second time since its establishment. Dr. Lehloenya indicated that during the meeting, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition will brief members on the strategies put in place to curb the outbreak.
The session will also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to outline the roles they will play in combating FMD. “We want the task team to have a clear plan to ensure proper budget allocation for its operations,” she added.
The task team is chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition and comprises the Ministries of Defence and National Security; Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police; Trade and Industry; the Disaster Management Authority (DMA); Finance and Development Planning; Farmers’ Associations; and Border Control Agencies. Within the team, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for providing technical leadership on animal health and FMD control.
It also serves as the secretariat and coordinator of the task team, overseeing surveillance, diagnostics, stamping out and vaccination planning. Security and border agencies are mandated to enforce animal movement controls, strengthen border surveillance and patrols, and assist in rapid response during outbreaks or high-risk situations. The DMA and the
The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning are tasked with coordinating emergency preparedness and response logistics, as well as facilitating the mobilisation of resources for preparedness and response efforts. Meanwhile, the FMD outbreak was reported on February 18 after cattle showing clinical signs consistent with the FMD case definition were identified at a cattle post in Mahlasela, within the Botha-Bothe District. Seventeen cattle were sampled from the affected herd, and laboratory tests confirmed that six of the samples were positive for FMD antibodies.
Ends/LP/BM
