Kohima, August 6 (MExN): The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS), Nagaland under the aegis of the Nagaland Livestock Development Board (NLDB) on August 5, officially launched the second phase of the pivotal scheme, National Animal Disease Control Programme on Foot and Mouth Disease (NADCP).
It was launched by Dr Nsanthung Ezung, Director, AH&VS at the NLDB Office, Dairy Farm Complex, Lerie, Kohima.
It is pertinent to mention here that the NADCP was launched by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on September 11, 2019 which envisages control of FMD and Brucellosis diseases in livestock by 2025 and freedom status by 2030.
The programme was chaired by Dr Kuokehebi Gwirie, Project Director, keynote address was delivered by Dr Salangtemjen, Managing Director, NLDB and the Vaccination Mission was launched by the Director, AH&VS by tagging the animals, vaccination, recording and data uploading into the INAPH portal.
Director, Nsanthung Ezung in his address, urged all the department officers and field staff to be sincere and ensure all the mandate of the programme by vaccinating the entire eligible cattle and buffalo population against the FMD in the State. The disease is a highly contagious viral vesicular disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs etc. which leads to reduction in milk yield, decreased growth rate, infertility, reduced working capacity in bullocks, trade embargo in the international market. Control of FMD can be achieved by mass vaccination of susceptible livestock repeatedly at regular intervals till the incidence of the disease comes down.
Ezung also urged the farmers to take full benefit of the programme and vaccinate their livestock against FMD. Further, he emphasised that the mission can be accomplished only through the support and cooperation from the district and village authorities and requested them to extend full support and cooperation to the Department, while carrying out vaccination in their respective jurisdiction.
The mission will end by October 4, 2022 as part of synchronized vaccination with a mandate to achieve 100% immunization of the bovine, caprine and ovine population in the State.
