The Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI) has acknowledged the scale of the current Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and in response, the institute has vowed to elevate production processes to cater for the growing demand.

Through this action, BVI continues to demonstrate its longstanding commitment to regional animal health, resilience, and strategic partnerships.

BVI has activated deployment of technical support to the region with technical mission recently deployed to Eswatini to supplement their local technical team and further deployment are underway to other countries, especially of recently reported FMD outbreaks. 

These technical missions are critical to provide support in evaluating the nature of FMD outbreaks to further inform response interventions, including formulation of targeted fit-for-purpose vaccines under emergency.

“As the institute joins the region in responding to escalated FMD situation, stakeholders and the public are urged to adhere strictly to disease control measures instituted by veterinary and regulatory authorities, including movement restrictions and quarantine protocols, as these efforts are critical to effective outbreak containment and the protection of the livestock sector,” said BVI in a recent press statement. 

BVI remains confident that, through continued collaboration, technical rigor, and transparent communication, the region is well positioned to mitigate the current outbreak and promote sustainable animal health.

With more than 40 years of experience as Africa’s leading veterinary vaccine manufacturer and research institute, BVI has a proven record in supporting the regional FMD control, successfully managing previous outbreaks through laboratory diagnostics and supply of fit for purpose vaccines.