AH&VS Director Dr Budhi Lama launches the Brucellosis vaccination programme in Nagaland by injecting the first dose at the State Cattle Breeding Farm, Lerie, Kohima on January 19. (Photo Courtesy: AH&VS)
Kohima, January 20 (MExN): The Nagaland department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) on January 19 launched the Brucellosis vaccination programme in the State.
AH&VS Director, Dr Budhi Lama officially launched the programme by injecting the first dose at State Cattle Breeding Farm, Lerie, Kohima.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Lama asked all the field officials to sincerely implement the programme and make the state free from Brucellosis.
He also cautioned to strictly follow the vaccination protocols for own safety and effective vaccination, informed an official release from AH&VS.
What is Brucellosis?
According to the AH&VS, Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease which often leads to abortion in infected cows. It is also known as contagious abortion or Bang’s disease.
Bovine brucellosis is a serious disease of livestock that has significant animal health, public health and international trade consequences, it said.
Apart from the huge economic losses in animals, the disease may affect humans even causing infertility, it added.
High brucellosis prevalence in animals poses greater risk of disease transmission to animal handlers, veterinarians and is a menace to livestock farming community and butchers, the department noted.
Accordingly, the disease is considered a major obstacle in international trade of livestock and animal products, it maintained.
GoI’s Brucellosis control programme
Given the seriousness of the disease, the Government of India (GoI) has come up with a policy of Brucellosis control programme in cattle with calf hood vaccination with Brucellaabortus S19 vaccine between 4-8 months of age, the department said.
The Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) launched during 2021-22 under the initiative by the Prime Minister is being implemented on a mission mode, it informed.
It is being monitored strictly by the GoI with the Joint Secretary (Livestock Health & Disease Control (LH&DC)) to the GoI, Ministry of Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Department of AH&D as the Mission Director along with Ministry staffs and a support team- Project Monitoring Agency (PMA).
All vaccines for the Brucellosis control programme are supplied by GoI, it added.
