RIYADH, 7 June 2003 — In a renewed move to control the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD), the Kingdom will coordinate efforts with some Arab countries for a major eradication campaign this month.
A group of Arab countries including Saudi Arabia will establish a laboratory for FMD diagnosis and produce suitable vaccines besides embarking on a drive to disseminate information.
Livestock, valued at $18 billion, is one of the most vital assets of the Kingdom.
The campaign is directed to ensure a concerted approach for the eventual eradication of FMD in the region. Saudi Arabia detected more than 2,417 cases of FMD at over 40 infected sites in different parts of the country during the last two years. A total of 13 infected sites were identified by the Agriculture Ministry in Riyadh alone.
Since then, more than 170,000 animals, mostly cows, have been vaccinated as part of a nationwide program to check the spread of the killer disease in the Kingdom.
A high-level committee was formed under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Prince Naif to take urgent measures to prevent the disease and to educate livestock owners about the need to detect the disease among their herds. The panel is composed of the ministers of agriculture, health, commerce, finance and municipal affairs.
Spelling out the features of the FMD campaign, a statement released by the OPEC Fund for International Development said that the initiative led by the Arab Organization for Agriculture Development (AOAD) “will establish control efforts to prevent future outbreaks with the long-term goal of eradicating the disease.” The OPEC Fund for International Development has approved a grant of $300,000 to support the first phase of the campaign.
