5,920 animals treated in Bor County by UNMIS

By Philip Thon Aleu

March 2, 2009 (BOR TOWN) – United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) says 1,720 cattle received special treatment and 4,200 animals are either dewormed or sprayed in a six-day campaigns ending today Monday in Bor County.

The UNMIS’ India army – 2 Naga Infantry Battalion Group, in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) sponsored the campaigns aiming at ending East Cost Fever (ECF) which nearly led to extinction of indigenous cattle in and around Bor Town.

Lt. Col. Ajay Kumar who is an Indian veterinary doctor lauds optimistically at the closing ceremony. “We have dewormed and sprayed 4,200 animals which are the most things in ending ECF,” he said adding that 1,720 animals including goats, sheep, chicken and dogs to shield breeding stages of ECF in domestic animals. This arithmetically summed up to 5,930 animals treated in locations around Bor Town including Panaper, Padak (Baidit), Payueny and Jarweng. CBPP, Trypanoisis, Brucellosis and Fasciola were other diseases Mr. Kumar says were targeted in the six-day campaigns.

Cattle diseases rocked Bor County in July 2008 killing thousands. India veterinary doctors intervened early December that year and reached out to over 4,000 cattle but the diseases persisted. Dr. Ajay Kumar clarified during the inauguration of UNMIS vet last week that “no specific drugs were brought then” because the diseases were not fully studied.

Cattle are central in Dinka economy (Bor inclusive) as well as social values including settling dowries. The animals are also core in challenging peace (CPA) hardly attained in 2005 through inter-tribal raiding – costing hundreds of people’s lives yearly in South Sudan.

The India army team leader Lt. Col R K Anuj in Bor with directives from Sector 3 commander Sammeer Bajdeuria at Malakal organized the veterinary assistant to Bor County. A veterinary clinic, co-owned by UNMIS and Jonglei, was inaugurated last week for daily treatments.

Present at the closing ceremony today includes officials from Jonglei State Ministry of Agriculture, director general Geu Wunthony and Bor County executive director (second high-ranking Bor County officer) Mabior Amou. Both leaders praised the India army for the job well done.

Asked if the clinic could eventually turn commercial, Dr. Ajay Kumar was quick to reject such development saying: “We [have] stock the hospital with freely charged drugs.” Obtaining drugs at Bor Civil hospital – a government funded one, has switched to semi-private clinic since most doctors own private drugs shops.

(ST)