OPUWO: Efforts by the government to eradicate lung disease among livestock in the Kunene Region will only be possible if traditional chiefs, senior traditional councillors, headmen and farmers join forces with the government in that regard.

The Governor of the Kunene Region, Josua //Hoebeb said this in an interview with Nampa today after a meeting with farmers who are unhappy that their livestock will be isolated because of a suspicion that the animals are infected with lung sickness or Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP), as it is also known.

//Hoebeb called upon traditional leaders and farmers in Kunene to assist the veterinarians in ensuring that they eradicate diseases that are a threat to their livestock, like CBPP and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Farmers in areas where lung sickness is suspected should also allow their sick livestock to be isolated for testing and monitoring purposes to avoid the further spread of the disease in the region.

About 46 cattle are suspected to have contracted CBPP in the Kunene Region from the end of July this year in the Okangwati area of the Epupa Constituency.

These cattle were moved by their owners to the Ombombo and Oviviero villages in the Opuwo Constituency in search of grazing, and are scheduled to be moved to the quarantine camp at Omutambowomawe today.