ADVERTISEMENT

Indian Peacekeepers help to control major animal disease outbreak in Upper Nile (by Samuel Adwok Deng)

Following a rash of enigmatic livestock deaths earlier this September, local authorities in the Fashoda and Central Upper Nile regions have turned to the bovine expertise of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to help fortify the animals against the malevolent specters.

United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)

Last week, Indian peacekeepers serving in Malakal examined the afflicted cattle to identify the cause of the fatalities and administered vaccinations to curb the risk of further outbreaks in both communities.

“Our team inspected more than 1,000 animals in Kodok, Baliet and neighboring villages over a period of five days,” said head veterinarian Lieutenant General Gagandeep Singh.“We found them to be unusually feeble and severely infested with external parasites like ticks, fleas, and tsetse flies.”

According to local animal health workers and farmers, alarm bells first started sounding when irregularities such as fever, agitation, incessant mooing and premature births were being detected amongst livestock at frankly frightening rates.

“In the last two months, farmers reported a total of more than 150 deaths amongst their herds and a remarkable decrease in milk and meat production,” Singh said, gently caressing a four-legged patient for added emphasis.

ADVERTISEMENT

Following further analysis, laboratory test results indicated a decreased concentration of hemoglobin in the blood of nearly fifty percent of all test subjects - a surefire sign of creatures with troubled minds and debilitated bodies.

“Out of the more than 25,000 cattle in Kodok, our team has treated and dewormed 624. In Baliet, we’ve treated more than 300 out of nearly 3,000,” Singh continued while expertly doffing his tainted rubber gloves.

The veterinary team also raised awareness on cattle welfare issues among local animal health workers, in the process equipping them with a stockpile of essential drugs, thus enabling them to continue treatment of the already sick as well as to pre-empt future illnesses from wreaking havoc.

“The extra medicine can be used to vaccinate cattle in more remote areas to combat the disease’s spread,” he added.

Fashoda County Commissioner Peter Changjwok’s gratitude-induced radiation came close to setting off a nearby Geiger counter as he thanked the skilled bovine buffs serving with the peacekeeping mission for their life-saving interventions. For a large percentage of the South Sudanese population, cattle are, after all, the backbone of their sustenance.

ADVERTISEMENT

“There are no proper veterinary facilities nearby, so the community has benefitted immensely from their assistance,” said Changjwok. “I hope such cooperation can continue in the future.”

Locals have been advised to dispose of infected animal carcasses by incinerating or burying them, as well as to be weary of the origins of the meat they consume.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT