(ERGO) – Pastoralist communities in Bay region are reporting the spread of lethal diseases affecting their cattle, goats and sheep.
The pastoralists have identified the spread of anthrax, twisted neck, black quarter and trypanosomiasis diseases.
Idris Abdi Dhaktar, the dean of agriculture and animal husbandry at Baidoa University, said the outbreak of such diseases was linked to the drought and lack of pasture for the livestock.
Mohamed Abdi Ali, a herder in Lafaya village, 35 km east of Baidoa, said he had lost 10 goats in the past two weeks. He told Radio Ergo’s local reporter by phone that they had died of trypanosomiasis and twisted neck. He has only 12 goats left.
Another pastoralist, Dhayow Abdirahman Haji, in Manas village, 40 km from Baidoa, lost nine camels from anthrax last week. He said he has 32 other camels sick with anthrax and twisted neck disease.
Pastoralists in the area are missing the extension services of the ministry of livestock, which used to respond to outbreaks of disease with treatment interventions as well as vaccinations. area. The ministry also used to carry out awareness campaigns to help the pastoralists know more about the prevalent diseases.
Idris Abdi Dhaktar, an expert on animal health, told Radio Ergo the biggest challenge facing veterinary workers in getting drugs and treatment to the affected areas was the lack of accessibility due to insecurity in the region.
Idris advised the pastoralists to quarantine sick animals and not to eat the meat of the dead or sick animals. Diseased animals can spread anthrax to humans, either through direct contact or by eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animals.
He further urged them to bury the dead animals properly, to avoid spread of the diseases.
