Al-Daein, December 20 (Darfur24)
East Darfur’s Ministry of Animal Resources announced on Thursday the launch of a large-scale livestock vaccination campaign in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Sudanese Aid Hand Organization, targeting the southern parts of the state.
Saeed Abkar Saeed, Director General of the Ministry of Animal Resources, said the campaign aims to protect livestock from transboundary diseases amid growing concerns among herders over outbreaks and warnings of potential vaccine shortages caused by the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Speaking during a joint meeting in Abu Matarq, Saeed said the campaign will vaccinate large numbers of cattle against major diseases, including peste des petits ruminants (PPR), sheep pox, pneumonia, anthrax, and malaria.
FAO representative Mehdi Ibrahim Khamis said the organization has conducted logistical trials in hard-to-reach areas and is testing innovative cross-border methods to deliver vaccines and reach livestock in remote locations.
Last October, East Darfur’s Ministry of Animal Resources warned of shortages of essential vaccines, citing supply disruptions linked to the conflict, which has severely affected the livestock sector.