The policy papers on “Trans-boundary viral diseases of Livestock- Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and African Swine Fever (ASF)" (Image 1) and “Leptospirosis- a neglected disease” (Image 2) were released by Shri. Parshottam Rupala, Union Cabinet Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India and Dr. D. V. R. Prakash Rao, President National Academy of Veterinary Sciences, India. These policy papers are based on the scientific deliberations and recommendations of a two days National Workshop and Brainstorming on “Strategy on control and eradication of formidable Trans-boundary viral diseases of Livestock- Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and African Swine Fever
(ASF)" that was held on 14 to 15 November, 2022. It was jointly organized by the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana and the National Academy of Veterinary Sciences India (NAVS). The members from Academia, Industry, Policy framing organizations, farmers, scientists from prestigious institutions, animal health professionals, vaccine manufacturers, progressive farmers from dairy & piggery associations participated in this event to discuss the emerging health challenges and their possible prevention and control in India. In the past decade, many novel transboundary and emerging animal diseases have been reported in India. During 2011-2020, around two thousand FMD outbreaks have been recorded in both domestic livestock and wildlife in India. In 2019, the lumpy skin disease (LSD) was introduced and the first disease outbreak was reported from Odisha state of the country. Within three years of its entry, the LSDV has spread across most of the country. African swine fever has emerged as a serious threat to pork production in India and after its first emergence during COVID period in Assam it has spread over many states of the country.
Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor GADVASU thanked the National Academy of Veterinary Sciences (NAVS) for entrusting GADVASU. Further, he stated that the policy papers released contains many important recommendations that will help policy makers to develop the roadmap for prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and African Swine Fever (ASF) in India.
