KHAR/MARDAN: An anti-Congo drive was launched in Bajaur Agency and Katlang tehsil of Mardan on Saturday to protect animals and humans from the deadly virus.

Talking to reporters in Khar, assistant director livestock, Bajaur Agency, Dr Ahmad Younis said the campaign was launched on the directives of senior officials of Fata Secretariat to protect the animals from Congo fever, and the disease’s subsequent transmission to humans.

The campaign is a part of our strategy to prevent outbreak of Congo virus in the agency,” he added. He said free anti-tick vaccination was being distributed among the farmers across the agency.

He said teams comprising veterinary doctors were taking part in the campaign, adding they would not only go house to house to spray the animals, they would also inform the people about the precautionary measures in this regard.

Dr Younis said special sessions would also be organised to teach people about what precautions they needed to take while slaughtering and feeding the animals to avoid transmission of the virus to humans.

The livestock official said cattle in various areas, including the main cattle market in Sadiqabad Khar, had been sprayed on the first day of the drive.

In Mardan, an anti-Congo drive was launched in Katlang tehsil to prevent outbreak of virus in animals and its transmission to human beings.

Tehisl nazim Maulana Imdadullah Khan inaugurated the drive. It was stated that drive was launched as a precautionary measure to protect animals from contracting Congo virus as the virus was transmittable to human beings.

On the occasion, Imdadullah Khan said steps were being taken to protect residents from the deadly virus.

He said a point would be set up in the tehsil where local residents would bring their animals to on weekly basis to get them sprayed. Besides, he said awareness campaign would be launched and relevant medicines would also be provided to people to protect them from the fatal disease.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2016