Maputo — Mozambique's veterinary authorities are mobilising funds for the purchase of a further 800,000 doses of vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease, aiming to complete the immunisation of cattle in the country.

The doses are destined for the southern provinces of Maputo and Gaza, central Manica and Tete and northern Niassa, the last two of which are facing active outbreaks of the disease.

Zacarias Massicame, head of the Department of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Agriculture, cited in Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Notícias', said the country needs over one million doses to ensure the protection of livestock.

He explained that the import of about 300,000 vaccines is underway for areas with active outbreaks and a high risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease.

This will reinforce the doses recently allocated to Manica, Tete and Niassa and which are already under administration.

"The late and limited availability of vaccines and the limited capacity to move technicians to the field are affecting the immunisation calendar. In recent years, the sector has not been able to meet the minimum recommended vaccination requirements to achieve herd health defence', Massicame said, adding that the sector is mapping the fever-free zones to allow the Foot and Mouth Disease Control Committee to determine, in the coming days, the easing of restrictive measures, enabling the resumption of the movement of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

Foot-and-mouth disease is regarded as one of the most important cross-border diseases of hoofed animals in the world because of its rapid transmission and spread capacity, with negative economic impacts due to restrictions on the movement of animals and their derivatives from one area to another.