After a progressive reduction in Foot & Mouth Disease outbreaks in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the Centre as part of its prestigious FMD-Control Programme is ‘actively considering’ to declare the two States, FMD-free, officials said.
Under the united Andhra Pradesh, in 2013, the last double-digit outbreaks were registered in the erstwhile undivided districts of Karimnagar, Medak and Rangareddy.
There has been no incidence in the past four years, officials of the Telangana Directorate of Animal Husbandry informed.
Both the States have completed 22 rounds of the disease control programme, bi-annually over 11 years, and Telangana will hold a massive vaccine campaign to cover 100% bovines, in the next round starting December 29 until January 13.
Foot & Mouth Disease, a highly contagious one caused by viral serotypes (a distinct set of strains) is transmitted across boundaries among hooved livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep and goats).
The infection shows as ulcers and blisters on the animal body, and results in decreased milk and meat production, and others.
And if not combatted, the disease poses danger to animal and human health, besides shutting doors to international trade causing economic consequences.
According to the ICAR-Directorate of Foot and Mouth Disease (2016-17), only five States are without any incidence.
Tamil Nadu accompanies the Telugu States in the south, while the others are Maharashtra from the West, and Punjab in the Northern region.
With 20 other States still away from ‘no incidence’, more than a decade after the disease control strategy was conceptualised - the road to an ‘FMD Mukt Bharat’ is longer.
And only after all the States are declared FMD-free, the World Organisation for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties – OIE) would recognise the country an FMD-free zone - a certificate enabling export of animal products to other member states of the World Trade Organization.
