ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research in collaboration with provincial governments, have formed a technical task force to enhance and strengthen surveillance against the spread of Lumpy Skin Diseases (LSD), besides issuing policy guidelines to control the its further spread.

Besides issuing these guidelines to the provinces, comprehensive vaccination drive across the effected areas has been also started to control the spread of disease and prevent other animals from its negative impacts, said Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr Akram while talking to the Media here on Wednesday.

He said that technical task forces within the provinces had also formed, which were holding their frequent meetings with the central task force for making the coordinated efforts to enhance surveillance, prevent spread and loss of livestock in effected areas.

The office of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner has been declared as focal point, wherein all necessary arrangements have also been made to overcome the disease, he added.

It was a viral disease that has not any negative implication on human health, he said adding that use of milk and meat of effected animals were safe for human consumption. He said that its spread was nominal and recorded at approximately 0.007.

Currently, he said that the presence of disease was confirmed in Bahawalpur, Karachi, Jamshoro, Hyderabad and Thatta, adding that LSD only affected cattle.

Dr Akram further said that besides initiating vaccination campaign in effected areas, the movement of animals from these areas was also restricted and steps were also taken to create awareness among farmers and professionals to prevent and control its spread.

He also informed that the sheep goat pox vaccine, which was already available in the country, was effective against the LSD virus, adding that the government was making urgent arrangements to import LSD vaccines to ensure adequate supply and maintaining the stocks of vaccines in the country.

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