While arguments rage between cattle farmers and the South African government over who should implement the national vaccination programme against foot and mouth disease, it is worth looking at the example of Brazil.
Foot and mouth is a controlled disease in South Africa, so the state oversees vaccine acquisition and the rollout programme. Three organisations have instituted court action seeking a declaration that the private sector is not prohibited from procuring and administering vaccines. The state is opposing the application.
Theo de Jager, CEO of the Southern African Agricultural Initiative (SAAI), one of the three bodies challenging the government over the issue, has cited Brazil’s success against foot and mouth as an example of private sector involvement.
Brazil is the world’s largest beef exporter and, after a mass vaccination campaign, regained its disease-free status last year from the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE).
“While South Africa only has to vaccinate 14 million cattle, Brazil had close to 300 million,” De Jager told the Daily Friend.
“But under the auspices of OIE, the Brazilian farmers and their workers and volunteers were allowed to vaccinate their own cattle, while much of the logistics, storage and manufacturing were privatised,” he stated.
It worked for Brazil. Could it work for South Africa?
