Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called on emaSwati to stand with Government in the fight against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), warning that the outbreak will persist if the public does not fully cooperate with control measures already put in place.
The Prime Minister made the remarks on Wednesday morning while overseeing the ongoing cattle vaccination programme at Mzimnene dip tank in the Manzini Region.
He revealed that 40% of the national herd has already received its second dose of the vaccine, describing the progress as encouraging, while making clear that more still needs to be done. 
“Government is doing everything within its power to eradicate this disease. We are confident that, with the Foot and Mouth Disease control measures in place – including the disinfection of vehicles and passengers, as well as the ongoing vaccination drive – we will conquer the disease,” said Prime Minister Dlamini.
The Prime Minister pointed to the reckless movement of livestock as one of the biggest threats to the progress being made in the vaccination campaign.
“If this disease persists, it will be largely due to our own actions. Reckless movement of livestock undermines the progress we are making. Without full cooperation between the public and Government, the disease will continue to spread. However, we are optimistic that in the coming months, we will have vaccinated all livestock across the country thereby overcoming this disease,” he said.
Cattle hold deep economic and cultural significance for emaSwati, and the Prime Minister warned that the longer FMD lingers, the heavier the cost to ordinary families and the broader economy.
“As emaSwati, we all recognise that cattle are the wealth of the nation. When we are unable to generate income from them, poverty increases. Many emaSwati are employed through the beef industry, but due to FMD, we are currently unable to export to international markets,” he said.
