KYIV, Apr. 11 – The Ukrainian government decided to ante up Hr 8 million to stock up on a vaccine to protect the country’s livestock against foot-and-mouth disease, Ukraine’s top vet told journalists on Wednesday.
According Ukraine’s chief veterinary inspector Petro Verbytsky, measures are currently in place to control the possible transport of meat products from Europe across Ukraine’s border, adding that 100 thousand doses of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine are available in Russian stocks to deal with an outbreak of the disease on Ukraine’s territory, the Inter TV channel reported.
Verbytsky said he believed that amount to be fairly sufficient to wipe out the possible spread of the disease should it break out “in one or several areas” of Ukraine.
Verbytsky also said that 3-4 million doses of the vaccine will be required to create a 100-300 kilometer “buffer zone,” but purchasing this amount is not an issue at this time.
He also said the fact that Ukraine has had no need to vaccinate its livestock thus far entitles Ukraine to the status of “a foot-and-mouth disease-free country” and allows Ukraine to export its meat products to any country on the globe.
A decision to begin vaccinating livestock could cost Ukraine around Hr 20 million a year.
Verbytsky said that the vaccine will be purchased with funds out of Ukraine’s state budget in the event that a vaccination campaign is launched.
