Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a severe and highly contagious ailment which affects cloven hoofed animals. This disorder threatens food security, livelihoods and also results in economic losses to many states in the African Continent that depend on these animals to generate income. The continuous circulation of this virus leads to the reduction of the quality and quantity of livestock products.

In a move to mitigate and control the spread of this ailment, the African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) joined stakeholders from various organisations and member states at a three-day sub-regional training workshop organised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on FMD epidemiology, diagnostics and surveillance for strengthening the control of this virus in the Southern Africa region conducted under the umbrella of the Global Framework for progressive control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GFTADs) which was hosted at the Kingdom of Lesotho from 30th July to 1st August 2024.

Speaking on behalf of AU-IBAR Director, Dr. Huyam Salih, the head of Animal Health Unit at AU IBAR, Dr. Hiver Boussini, sensitised that safeguarding the health of our animals is a great move and it will positively affect the wellbeing and development of the Southern Africa region. 

While tendering a presentation, Dr. Boussini stated that animal resources are an important livelihood and commercial asset to mostly the rural communities which constitutes 70% of African population. Africa being an animal rich continent which represents about one third of animal population across the globe, the resources from the animal sector contributes between 30% to 80% to country’s agricultural GDP. In at least 30% member states, livestock contributes 20% to 73% of Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) which in 10% of African member states it amounts to 50% to 73%. Livestock products are the major sources of proteins and they contribute up to 13% of the world’s calorie intake.

In Africa, 12 out of 15 Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) and Zoonoses occur across the continent. Most of the African countries are affected by a number of TADs and Zoonoses which are Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Rabies, Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Anthrax, Brucellosis, TB among others.

Foot and Mouth Disease is widely distributed in Africa as a result of lack of evidence-based vaccination strategy, absence of valid national and regional control programmes and plans and also the inadequacy of coordination of the national, regional and continental levels.

According to research done earlier, the Southern Africa region has been adversely affected by the FMD with South Africa having a total of 159 new outbreaks and 306638 livestock which are susceptible as of the year 2015 to 2022.  As reported by member states, the year 2018 had a higher number of outbreaks scaling up to 2000 cases of outbreaks.

In a bid to the betterment of Animal Health across the continent, AU IBAR has established a number of mechanisms within the veterinary domain namely the Continental Animal Health Platform of Public and Private Actors (CAHP-AFRICA) which works on providing leadership in the implementation of Animal Health Actions, the African Association of Veterinary Education Establishments (2A2E-V) which spearheads reforms in veterinary education across the African continent and the African Association of Veterinary Statutory Bodies (2VSB) which co-ordinates reforms in veterinary regulation. These robust mechanisms aim to strengthen the competencies of veterinary services for the implementation of the Standards Methods and Procedures in Animal Health Approach (SMP-AH) which in the long run will help in the prevention and controlling of Transboundary Animal Diseases in the African Union member states.

As animal diseases remain a key challenge to animal resources development in the African Continent, AU IBAR encourages member states to develop official control programmes to apply for disease free status to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). AU IBAR also advocates on the need to have access to quality vaccines in an effort to prevent and control the Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) and Zoonoses.