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Zimbabwe needs close to two million anthrax vaccine doses to effectively control the livestock disease. Acting chief director at the Veterinary Services Department Dr Pious Makaya has said only 426 000 doses have so far been procured from Botswana.

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 been brought across the Zambezi by infected hippos from Zambia.

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

Dr Makaya said 57 000 cattle had been vaccinated against anthrax in Gokwe South, and he 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 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