Iraq boost efforts to FMD outbreak

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture intensified efforts to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), distributing veterinary medicines and treatments. particularly in affected areas.

The director-General of the Ministry’s Veterinary directorate, Thamer Al-Khafaji, announced in a statement, on Thursday, that veterinarians across the country had been instructed to monitor infections, provide livestock breeders with medicines, and continue surveillance efforts, and to report suspected or confirmed cases immediately, especially in Baghdad’s districts of Fudhaliyah, Jurf Al-Naddaf, Hay Al-Wahda, and Nahrawan.

Al-Khafaji revealed that the movement of animals in and out of affected areas has been restricted for 14 days, while transport to other governorates remains permitted provided animals have valid veterinary health certificates, adding that awareness campaigns and training workshops were being conducted in coordination with the Agricultural Guidance and Training Directorate to educate breeders on preventing infections and cooperating with veterinary teams to limit the outbreak.

Iraq has been experiencing a widespread outbreak of FMD, leading to the deaths of more than 1.5 million livestock over the past three years, according to veterinarian Iyad Abu Al-Jeer.