The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), has announced the launch of the third stage of the 9th vaccination campaign against diseases which affect animals. This stage includes the second dose of vaccination being given against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and continues until the end of March 2018.

 
It targets animals that have not been vaccinated in previous campaigns. These animals are being identified by using the latest technologies and databases. Launching this stage comes to eradicate PPR, in line with the national plan for animal health 2015-2025 and ADFCA's strategic plan 2016-2020.

The authority has recently completed the second stage of the campaign, which witnessed the vaccination of 1.6 million out of the target number of 1.5 million animal of the total livestock aged three months, in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. These animals were vaccinated against foot and mouth disease and crystalline inflammation in goats.

 The accomplishment rate of this stage has reached to 107%, with the goal of eliminating and controlling the causes of epidemic diseases across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. ADFCA is carrying out this campaign in line with the national plan for animal health, which aims at eliminating and eradicating transboundary animal diseases, in preparation for declaring the state free of these diseases.

Since its launch, the vaccination campaigns have contributed to eradicating smallpox by 100%. It also helped decrease seasonal diseases that can infect animals and limited their spread. Some 50 million doses have been given to animals against different diseases since the beginning of the campaign in 2009.

ADFCA pointed out the need for vaccinating livestock according to the vaccination program approved by ADFCA, which helps to protect animals and reduces epidemic diseases that can infect them. The authority also stressed the importance of adhering to ADFCA's awareness programs by livestock breeders, as well as making sure of the animals' safety before introducing them in the herd to avoid the proliferation of diseases.

The authority called on livestock breeders to co-operate with the veterinary manpower of the ADFCA by arranging for the necessary workers, preparing the animals for the process of vaccination, and numbering before the veterinary doctor's visit to the farm, which decreases the exhaustion of animals and helps officials to offer the best services. The campaign will continue to the end of May 2018, as over three million cattle will be vaccinated against aphthous fever, crystalline inflammation and PPR.