A vaccination campaign targeting 100,000 goats has started in Buhodle and five nearby settlements in Togdheer region.
The goats will be vaccinated against measles and goat-pox and treated for tick-transmitted diseases.
The exercise, which is jointly being implemented by Puntland healthy ministry and the UN’s Food and Agriculture organization (FAO), will last for 40 days.
Teams in villages north and west of Buhoodle, such as Kalshale, Dhilaalo, Sool-joogto, Hagoogane, Baleef and Xamar-lagu-hidh, have so far vaccinated over 40,000 goats in less than two weeks.
This is the first vaccination project in the area since the collapse of the central government over two decades ago, according to Dr Abdirashid Rabbi, who heads the vaccination team operating in Dhilaalo.
Dr Rabbi urged the local pastoralist communities to avoid meat from vaccinated animals for 22 days and milk for at least a week after the vaccination.
Cases of measles and goat-pox have been reported several times in the recent past. Health services for both humans and livestock are poor.
Adan Ismail, a pastoralist in Hamar-lagu-hidh, 40 km south of Buhodle, who contacted Radio Ergo a month ago, said the majority of the goats in the area were suffering from one or both of the two diseases. He said they been unable to access vaccines and treatment for their animals.
Farah Jama, a resident of Dhilaalo village, said they were pleased to receive the assistance for their livestock at last.
“I am a long-time pastoralist and this is the first time ever all my goats have been vaccinated,” he said, adding that he was hopeful the exercise would help eradicate diseases causing many animal deaths.
