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Yemen’s Agriculture Ministry is boosting efforts to combat the livestock disease screw worm, which is threatening the livelihoods of rural inhabitants, particularly in coastal and central regions, according to ministry officials.
"Since 1 November, we have dispatched dozens of vets to rural areas in the governorates of Hodeida, Hajjah, Mahwit, Taiz, Ibb, Dhamar and Raima to treat thousands of infected animals and increase awareness among pastoralists on how to protect livestock," Mansoor al-Qadasi, the government's chief vet, told IRIN on 7 November.
"Falling temperatures during winter in coastal and central-southern areas, coupled with unhealthy animal shelters, encourage the rapid spread of screw worm, putting animal lives at risk," he said.
According to Agriculture Ministry vet Hani Merai, some 7,666 cows, sheep, goats and camels have been treated and over 50,000 vaccinated against the disease in the seven governorates over the past month. "Four hundred and sixty-nine villages were covered by the programme and 4,053 animal shelters were sprayed or cleaned in the same period," he said.
Merai said the ministry had distributed over 3,600 leaflets in the most affected areas in Taiz and Ibb governorates, and more would be distributed in other governorates in the next couple of months.
Taiz-based epidemic surveillance and control official Nizar Faisal said increasing the awareness of pastoralists was the best way to reduce the risk of another screw worm outbreak.
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| About 12 million Yemenis depend on livestock for their livelihood |
"It is difficult to eliminate the epidemic but early interventions can keep deaths to a minimum… Since the epidemic first broke out in 2007, more than 22,000 animals have been infected," Faisal said.
The screw worm fly lays its eggs in a cut or open wound on a warm-blooded animal. Maggots then feast off the living flesh, and can kill the animal if the wound is not cleaned and treated with insecticide in time.
FAO, IAEA involvement
The Agriculture Ministry initiative is supported by international organizations such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
"Earlier this year, FAO provided us with pesticides while IAEA offered the necessary equipment and trained staff at the Central Veterinarian Laboratory on how to deal with infected animals," chief vet al-Qadasi said. "But the programme's budget is limited… We still need more funds from international and local donors to increase the drive against screw worm."
Al-Qadasi said livestock was the main source of income for 75 percent of Yemen's rural population (estimated to be 16 million).
According to Anwar Abdullah, a Taiz local council member, a shepherd earns YR 400 (US$2) a day for grazing 50-100 sheep or goats from 8am until 5pm, but with fewer animals to graze, their incomes were being hit.
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
