Dhaka: Fisheries and Livestock adviser Farida Akhter today emphasized the need for effective steps to develop cattle vaccines locally, urging stakeholders to raise awareness among farmers about Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). ‘Emphasis should be given to developing vaccines for cattle locally so these could be exported after meeting domestic demand,’ she remarked at the LSD vaccine seed handover ceremony held in a city hotel, as per a ministry press release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the event was part of the ‘Zoonosis and Trans-boundary Animal Diseases Prevention and Control Research Project’ spearheaded by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI). Highlighting LSD as a trans-boundary animal disease impacting both people and livestock, Farida Akhter called for immediate action to develop vaccines for the ailment.
She stressed the urgency of assessing the damage caused by LSD to livestock and advocated for bolstering research and laboratory capacities. Acknowledging the challenges posed by climate change, Akhter assured that the government stands ready to support scientists in their efforts. She also emphasized the continuous efforts needed from livestock officials to evaluate any potential harm to humans from consuming beef affected by the disease.
The ceremony was chaired by BLRI Director General Dr. Shakila Faruque and attended by dignitaries including Dr. Md. Abu Sufiun, Director General of the Department of Livestock (DLS); Amena Begum, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; and senior officials from the Ministry, BLRI, and DLS.
BLRI Additional Director Dr. ABM Mustanur Rahman delivered the welcome address, while Dr. Muhammad Abdus Samad, BLRI Chief Scientific Officer and Head of the Department of Trans-boundary Animal Disease Research Center, presented the keynote speech on the LSD vaccine. Expert insights were provided by Professor Dr. Md Bahanur Rahman, Dean of the Veterinary Faculty of Bangladesh Agricultural University, and Professor Dr. Nitish Chandra Debnath, Chief of Party of Bangladesh Systems Strengthening for One Health.
The ceremony also featured the formal handover of the BLRI-developed LSD vaccine to the Department of Livestock for commercial production and expansion at the farm level. Additionally, a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the vaccine was signed, along with the unveiling of the vaccine production manual.