More than 50,000 head of cattle have been vaccinated against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Zambezi Region over the past two weeks, following confirmation of the disease at Kalala Island on 6 October.

The outbreak is the region's first in six years, prompting intensified vaccination and disease-control measures.

During a working visit to the region, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform Inge Zaamwani inspected veterinary checkpoints at Nakabolelwa and Luhonono, as well as Kalala Island, the epicentre of the outbreak.

At Kalala Island, all 182 cattle in the affected kraal have been vaccinated, with no new cases reported since the exercise.

Zaamwani acknowledged challenges facing veterinary teams, including shortages of personnel and equipment, which have limited operations at some checkpoints to 12-hour shifts.

"As for procurement of items and goods, as we know our procurement system, even though it's an emergency, is still not as fast as it should be. But I do hope that by the end of this week, if not midweek, the items will have been procured and they will be on their way to the Zambezi region."

Zambezi Regional Commander, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo confirmed that the police have deployed officials to reinforce disease-control efforts at all checkpoints around the clock.

Zaamwani stressed the urgency of containing the outbreak to allow movement restrictions to be lifted and livestock trading to resume.

"I want to also thank the community for their cooperation and urge them to continue to cooperate with the teams on the ground so that together we can eradicate FMD out of this region and we go back to trading. We are approaching the peak season of December and January in terms of income from livestock, and we are aware of the serious impact the restrictions have on the livelihood of our people. So the sooner we get out, the better."

The ministry's spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, said movement restrictions on cloven-hoofed animals and their products remain in place in the Zambezi Region pending a 90-day to six-month post-vaccination period and veterinary assessments.