Livestock Breeders Demand Immediate Government Action as Monsoon Rains Threaten to Devastate Animal Health Across Sindh”
KARACHI: Livestock breeders appeal to the government to set up free veterinary camps for rain-affected animals across Sindh.
They stress that animals need urgent medical treatment and vaccination against various diseases, while rural farmers, burdened by poverty, face high transport costs to reach remote public veterinary facilities. Can’t stand it.
Heavy and abnormal monsoon rains have recently affected all the districts of Sindh, resulting in the spread of diseases. Heavy and abnormal monsoon rains have threatened the health of livestock across the province.
Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) Senior Vice President Nabi Bakhsh Satheo has emphasized the establishment of free veterinary camps in every union council. He said that the Livestock Department Sindh has enough funds to provide free medical treatment and vaccination to both sick and healthy animals.
Nabi Baksh Satheo also urged the Sindh government to investigate the crores of rupees in funds provided by international donors such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank during the devastating floods of 2010. The promised veterinary dispensaries in Union Councils across Sindh are still not functional.
Due to high transportation costs, many cattle ranchers are unable to transport their animals to government veterinary facilities. Consequently, Nabi Bakhsh Satheon stressed the need for the government to ensure that these services are available in villages.
Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) has been lauded for its efforts to provide medical treatment to rain-affected animals by organizing a free veterinary camp. Sindh Veterinary Medical Board and Chairman of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of SAU, Professor Dr. Allah Bakhsh Kachiwal, warned that once the rainwater is reduced, infectious diseases can spread rapidly in rural areas. He pointed out the need for proactive measures to protect livestock, especially as millions of animals are endangered.
During and after the monsoon season, infectious diseases can easily affect both small and large animals, including goats, sheep, cows, and buffalo. The most dangerous diseases include anthrax, foot and mouth disease, septicemia, and black quarter. These diseases can spread quickly, making early intervention important.
In response to this growing crisis, the SAU, in collaboration with the Livestock Department of Sindh, has set up a veterinary camp to treat rain-affected animals. SAU consultants are providing medical treatment and vaccination to cattle within a 40-kilometer radius of the university, and the Livestock Department is providing free veterinary drugs and injections.