Islamic security: The federal government has launched a national program to eradicate PPR in sheep and goats with the support of the provincial government, Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanwer Hussain said on Monday.
PPR, also known as ‘killing goat’, is an acute, contagious and transboundary viral disease of sheep and goats that causes high morbidity and mortality.
Federal Minister Rana Tanwar said sheep and goats provide sustenance for millions of rural families in Pakistan. He said, farmers will be given free vaccination against PPR in the national program. He said that due to the integrated strategy of the federal and provincial governments, the PPR rate has come down significantly in recent days.
Rana Tanwar said that Pakistan has signed a global agreement to end PPR by 2028. He said that in 2022-23, the federal government has provided 31.35 million doses of PPR vaccine to the provinces.
Rana Tanwer said that the government is taking all necessary measures to protect animals from diseases. “Through joint efforts, we can build a strong, healthy future for Pakistan’s livestock industry.”
The minister said that the vaccination team of the provincial animal husbandry department is engaged in a village-to-village vaccination campaign. He said controlling the disease would increase milk production of sheep and goats in the country.
Earlier, Livestock Commissioner Muhammad Akram addressed a seminar on PPR control and eradication held in Islamabad. Addressing the session, he said that the federal government is taking effective measures to prevent PPR. PPR said it is an infectious disease of sheep and goats. Symptoms of the disease in sheep include high fever, discharge from the eyes and nose. He said the mortality rate in infected goats is 60-80 percent.
