The in-budget cuts to vaccines and animal medicine funding concern Zimbabwe’s parliament. In a report recently published, the Committee for earth, agriculture, water, climate, and rural development, has put in writing its concerns regarding the spreading of diseases among the animals, caused by the decrease of financing ordered by the country’s governmental department of agriculture, that used to be given to livestock farmers that need to provide medicine for their animals, and prevent the spreading of diseases. As reported by local newspaper, Chronicle, and according to the Committee’s estimate, 50,000 units died between December 2017 and today, some due to tick-related illnesses, and the number could further grow if the funding isn’t increased. “The chemical substances able to prevent such diseases need to be imported, but the companies that won the contract to supply these products have been unable to get funding from the Reserve Bank”, denounced some politicians during the past presentation to the government officials, which took place last Tuesday, during the budget negotiations. The government has allegedly placed 2.4 million USD for the vaccine campaign of the livestock, but this amount is less than the sufficient amount, which is of 6 million USD.
Zimbabwe, lost 50,000 bovines due to illnesses, but the government cuts funding for vaccines and medicines
