The Botswana Vaccine Institute is deploying experts to assist SADC countries in managing a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.
In a statement, BVI acknowledged the scale of the current FMD outbreak within the region, saying its response to the elevated demand demonstrated its “longstanding commitment to regional animal health, resilience, and strategic partnerships”.
“As part of BVI Customer Value Proposition, BVI has activated deployment of technical support to the region with technical mission recently deployed to Eswatini to supplement their local technical team and further deployments are underway to other countries especially of recently reported FMD outbreaks.
“These technical missions are critical to provide support in evaluating the nature of FMD outbreaks to further inform response interventions, including formulation of targeted fit-for-purpose vaccines under emergency,” BVI said.
“As the Institute joins the region in responding to escalated FMD situation, stakeholders and the public are urged to adhere strictly to disease control measures instituted by veterinary and regulatory authorities, including movement restrictions and quarantine protocols, as these efforts are critical to effective outbreak containment and the protection of the livestock sector.”
BVI said it remains confident that, through continued collaboration, technical rigor, and transparent communication, the region is well positioned to mitigate the current outbreak and promote sustainable animal health
With more than 40 years of experience as Africa\'s leading veterinary vaccine manufacturer and research institute, the BVI has a proven record of supporting regional FMD control, successfully managing previous outbreaks through laboratory diagnostics and the supply of fit-for-purpose vaccines.
