Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, has confirmed that all animals and birds prepared in the slaughterhouse are healthy and safe for consumption.
Onyoti said although there have been a few cases of animal diseases in the flood-affected areas, all animals brought to Juba for Christmas festivities were tested and confirmed to be healthy.
“We are trying to make sure that the diseases are controlled but the animals which are brought to the markets are much safe and are healthy,” Onyoti stressed.
“We know very well that these animals have been vaccinated so there is no worry about their health,” Onyoti told The City Review in a telephone interview yesterday.
Fit to eat
Meanwhile, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Animals Resources, Fisheries Tourism and Hotel Management, Alex Latio Elia said most of the animals have been undergoing routine and massive vaccination. He said they have not recorded any cases of animal diseases or birds, especially in Central Equatoria State.
“We understand the economic situation in most [parts] of the country and we believe that massive slaughtering of the animals will not be there. There will be only slaughtering the small animals like goat and sheep,” Latio said during the interview.
“We have a department working on the livestock development in veterinary services and they have been working tirelessly to make sure that diseases of animals and birds are controlled countrywide,” he added.
He said the state ministry in collaboration with the farmers recently sold some chicken to the residents in Juba and those chicken were all safe for consumption.
“We assumed that all the animals and the birds are not having any diseases because they underwent vaccination and they have been kept well,” Latio said.
In August 2021, the government through the ministry of livestock advised the farming communities to seek technical advice in case they get difficulties in handling their animals.
Mary Sitina, the Director at the Department of Poultry and Animals, said their technical personnel is always available to provide farmers with skills and advice to make sure that animals are saved and secured from any disease outbreak
She said the government has very little knowledge about the majority of the farmers across Juba and other states who are committed to agriculture activities. However, the farmers recently said the chicken and animals given to them by DMI sisters were dying of diseases due to poor housing and lack of feeds.
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