The Food and Agricultural Organization’s country representative in The Gambia, Dr. Babagana Ahmadu, alongside the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr, Kebba Daffeh recently visited Lower River Region, to assess the performance of the vaccination team, who are currently on the ground vaccinating animals against the CBBP.
Speaking shortly after the visit, the Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Kebba Daffeh, who also doubles as the national coordinator of the FAO -TCP on the emergency control and prevention of CBBP, said the disease is a very important trans-boundary disease in livestock.
He added that the disease is generally regarded as the most important trans-boundary disease in cattle in sub-Saharan Africa, as it kills more cattle than any other diseases.
According to him, since detected in August 2012 in The Gambia, government and partners like FAO have been fighting it across the country. He revealed that the disease was detected after many years of absence in the country.
He said within a record time a technical cooperation programme was prepared with funding from FAO and TCP worth four hundred and sixty-nine thousand dollars.
According to Dr. Daffeh, within the framework of the TCP a nationwide massive vaccination campaign was conducted on the vaccination of cattle against the disease.
While stating that a lot of progress have been registered, he said so far the vaccination team has vaccinated close to two hundred and thirty thousand herds of cattle countrywide, which he added, is approximately fifty-seven percent of the cattle population in the country.
Dr. Daffeh expressed satisfaction at the exercise and then used the opportunity to thank Dr. Babagana, the FAO country representative for his concern in the fight against the disease.
