Government says it has secured a vaccine to combat January disease in cattle and is working to ensure it becomes widely accessible and affordable to farmers across Zimbabwe.
Responding to questions in Parliament, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka said authorities are already administering a vaccine known as Bolvac to control the disease, scientifically referred to as theileriosis.
Masuka told legislators that communal farmers are currently receiving the vaccine free of charge, while Government moves to expand access to other farming categories through commercial distribution.
“The Government is assisting through research and vaccination programmes. We are vaccinating Bolvac for free for all Zimbabwean farmers in communal areas,” he said.
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He added that extensive trials have demonstrated the vaccine’s effectiveness, with authorities now awaiting regulatory clearance before rolling it out on a wider commercial scale.
“We have demonstrated that the vaccine works. Once approval is granted, farmers, including those in A2 farming areas, will be able to access it at an affordable price,” Masuka said.
The Minister explained that final approval is expected from the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe, which will allow full commercialisation and increased production of the vaccine.
Masuka further noted that increased budgetary support from Parliament would help scale up manufacturing capacity and distribution networks to reach more farmers nationwide.
Meanwhile, Government has intensified livestock disease control measures to limit outbreaks and safeguard public health. Authorities are conducting regular inspections at more than 1,000 abattoirs across the country while urging consumers to buy meat only from certified outlets to avoid exposure to uninspected products.
January disease remains one of the most costly livestock diseases affecting Zimbabwe’s cattle sector, particularly in communal farming areas where losses have historically undermined rural livelihoods and national beef production.
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