Question NW1510 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
17 May 2023 - NW1510
Masipa, Mr NP to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Whether her department has any early warning system in place to detect outbreaks of animal diseases before they spread to the rest of the Republic; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether (a) a national contingency plan with emergency practices exists in her department in response to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and/or (b) any generic plan is in place for high impact, transboundary and trade-sensitive diseases during the outbreak of controlled animal diseases; if not, why not in each case; if so, (3) whether the plan (a) is available to the relevant stakeholders and (b) was implemented; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
1. Yes. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has a general disease detection and notification protocol to detect and notify of outbreaks of animal diseases before they spread to the rest of the Republic. For Foot and Mouth Disease, there is a continuous survey in the FMD protection zones to identify possible spread of FMD from neighbouring countries or the Kruger National Park. Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia and Pestes des Petits Ruminants are two diseases that South Africa is currently free from, and this internationally accepted freedom status is based on ongoing surveillance for these two diseases in the higher risk areas to the north of the country. There is also continuous surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza through regular testing of commercial poultry farms, commercial ostrich farms and backyard poultry farms. In addition, there is a passive surveillance system, whereby any suspect case of high impact diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, African Swine Fever, Avian Influenza, Rift Valley Fever, etc will be followed up by the state veterinarian, who will submit samples for which DALRRD will pay.
2. (a) Yes, there is a generic plan or protocol to control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) through the movement of buffalos which are well known to introduce FMD and a general disease contingency plan that is used in case of the outbreak of disease.
(b) There is a contingency plan for highly pathogenic avian influenza and a general disease contingency plan in place to handle trade-sensitive diseases.
3. (a) Yes, the plans are always available to the stakeholders and always implemented during disease outbreaks.
(b) Yes, the plans are always implemented during disease outbreaks. Control measures on the ground are implemented by the provincial veterinary services. Such measures will differ, depending on the disease and the affected area and population, but in general it will include quarantine of affected premises and movement control. Further control measures will be agreed upon between the affected provinces and the National Directorate Animal Health.