Pastoralists in parts of Galgadud region are reporting outbreaks of livestock disease including foot-and-mouth disease.
Said Maalim, a pastoralist in Dumodle settlement, 25 km west of Adado, told Radio Ergo’s local reporter there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in goats and camels.
“Several animals have been infected and show the signs of blisters in the mouth and excessively secreting foamy or stringy saliva. They have stopped feeding and as result starve to death, and we don’t have veterinary doctors to help us for treatment,” Maalim said.
Most parts of the region have had no rain at all and many pastoralist families have been moving with their animals to the western parts of the region where there has been some rainfall. The movement is thought to have spread disease, especially among animals already weakened by the drought.
Abdullahi Hassan Ali hired a truck at $400 to transport his family members and livestock from the drought-hit Wad village, 30 km north of Adado, to Herale district which has received good rains.
Speaking to Radio Ergo’s local reporter as he set off, Abdullahi said: “You cannot trek animals to the town we are destined to because it is very far. Some of my animals are sick and are suffering from respiratory disease. They have not been producing enough milk for a while.”
Local veterinary doctor Nur Hussein Duale in Adado called on herders to seek the help of veterinary doctors as most animal diseases in the area were treatable. He also urged them to vaccinate their animals.
“Many pastoralist families moved to the western areas of the region where rains have been reported. So the area is hosting more people and livestock than ever before, hence the outbreaks of livestock diseases such as diarrhoea, lung diseases and tick transmitted diseases,” Abdullahi said.
