A free livestock vaccination and treatment campaign targeting 95, 000 animals in parts of Duk County, Jonglei State, is ongoing. The drive started Thursday last week and will run until November 10.

Dr. Abaker Rejab Abdalla, an officer with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the Jonglei region, told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that they launched the campaign with an aim of vaccinating and treating 95, 000 cattle, sheep and goats in flood-hit Duk.

“The campaign was initiated by the UN FAO and we have the Livestock Ministry and Veterinary Sans Frontiers-Germany (VSF-Germany) as our partners. Our target is to vaccinate 70, 000 cows, sheep and goats in parts of Duk against disease like blackleg, CCP, goat plague, and hemorrhagic septicemia. We are also targeting 25, 000 sick animals with treatment,” he said.

Dr. Abaker added, “Duk was hit by the floods. And floods are often accompanied by animal diseases. So, for the health and safety of our livestock and people, we initiated this program.”

Chol Deng Gerwar, the VSF’s project assistant manager in Jonglei, said the campaign is ongoing well as the locals are cooperating but that they have been unable to access remote cattle camps due to the floods. He urged all the cattle campers to take part in the drive.

For his part, Elijah Manyok Ayiei, the acting Duk County commissioner, welcomed the drive saying the greater Duk has been witnessing cattle die-offs due to floods since last year without access to veterinary services.