100 pc of animals will be vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease by 2025: PM Modi

Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 12 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured that 100 per cent of animals would be vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis in India by 2025.
Expressing concern over the loss of livestock due to Lumpy skin disease, PM Modi said, "In the recent past, there has been a loss of livestock in many states of India due to the Lumpy skin disease. The central government, along with various state governments, is trying to control it. Our scientists have also prepared an indigenous vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease. We are also increasing its testing."
The Prime Minister while addressing the World Dairy Summit said that India is emphasizing universal vaccination of animals.
"We are also emphasising on universal vaccination of animals. We have resolved that by 2025, we will vaccinate 100 per cent of the animals against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis. We are aiming to be completely free from these diseases by the end of this decade," he said," he said.
The Lumpy disease has been detected only in cows and buffaloes. There is no danger to humans in eating meat or using milk of animals that do not have the symptoms of Lumpy. Animals can be cured from Lumpy, however, the milk of such animals may get affected due to the virus.
As per reports, lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle. It is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks. It causes fever and nodules on the skin and can lead to the death of the cattle.
Meanwhile, providing relief to the livestock of the country, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on August 10 launched the indigenous vaccine Lumpi-ProVac to protect livestock from Lumpy skin disease.
The vaccine has been developed by the National Equine Research Center, Hisar (Haryana) in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izzatnagar (Bareilly).
Ever since the disease came to India in 2019, research institutes have been engaged in developing the vaccine.
The Prime Minister was speaking inauguration of the International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit (IDF WDS) 2022, organised at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the four-day-long IDF WDS 2022 being held from September 12 to 15, is a congregation of global and Indian dairy stakeholders including industry leaders, experts, farmers and policy planners centring around the theme of 'Dairy for Nutrition and Livelihood'.
Around 1,500 participants from 50 countries are expected to participate in IDF WDS 2022. The last such Summit was held in India about half a century ago in 1974. (ANI)