LSD vaccine distribution kicks off in 5 provinces

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL) on Monday said the distribution of the lumpy skin disease (LSD) vaccine has started in five provinces of the country.

Over the next six months, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will distribute three million doses of the vaccine throughout the country.

LSD is a contagious disease in animals and is mainly spread by insects such as flies and mosquitoes.

LSD initially surfaced in Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika and Logar provinces, but the virus has now been found in Laghman, Kunar, Paktika, Paktia and Parwan province as well.

Maulvi Sadr-i-Azam, deputy minister of agriculture, said at the opening ceremony for the launch of the vaccination campaign in Kabul: “Today we are witnessing the beginning of the distribution of the vaccine for this disease in coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization of UN (FAO).”

He added about 125,000 LSD vaccine doses would be administered in Kabul, Nangarhar, Logar, Parwan and Maidan Wardak provinces with the cooperation of FAO.

Sadr-i-Azam said FAO had promised providing a total of three million doses of the vaccine.

Mohammad Agha, deputy head of FAO, said the implementation of the vaccination campaign in Afghanistan was a global phase.

sa/mud