A vaccination campaign against distemper has been ongoing in 14 districts of Koshi since November 23 to prevent infections that can be transmitted to domestic animals.

The Koshi Province Livestock and Fisheries Development Directorate has stated that 136,715 doses of vaccine have been administered in the first week under the campaign. According to the directorate, the target is to vaccinate 1,294,000 animals against cholera in 14 districts of Koshi Province in the fiscal year 2082/83. Although thousands of domestic animals have been vaccinated so far under the national vaccination campaign being conducted across Koshi Province against cholera, adverse symptoms have been observed in some places due to the vaccine of Lot No. 5. The first dose of vaccine is currently being distributed throughout the province, including Jhapa. Livestock farmers are worried that the vaccine has caused 'side effects' in some districts including Jhapa. Krishna Bahadur Limbu, a farmer from Mechinagar-5 in Jhapa, said, 'After vaccination, there is a problem of fever in the animals and they do not eat the feed.'

Mechinagar Municipality alone has vaccinated 3,800 cows and buffaloes against cholera within a few days of the vaccination campaign. However, the local level does not have clear data on how much of each lot was used. The Directorate stated that since the vaccines are being sent to the districts and local levels collectively through the Animal Services Department and Directorate, the distribution details by lot could not be separated.

According to Mechinagar Municipality and Jhapa Veterinary Hospital, especially in the vaccinated animals in Lot No. 5, problems such as fever, not eating grass and straw, being lethargic, showing weakness, and bending their necks due to pain in the neck have been widely observed.

After such problems were observed, Mechinagar has stopped the vaccination of Lot No. 5 from Thursday, informed the Head of the Animal Services Branch, Bikram Gurung. Sheetal Bhattarai, the office chief of the Veterinary Hospital, Jhapa, said it could be a normal 'reaction' after vaccination. She said, 'We are working in the field to understand the truth.'

According to Dr. Gangaram Yadav, a senior officer of the Koshi Province Livestock and Fisheries Development Directorate, it is normal for such symptoms to appear for 24-48 hours after the antiviral vaccine is administered to weak and emaciated animals.

The first dose is currently being distributed as per the program for this year 2082/83, while the second dose will be administered in Baisakh-Jeshtha. The provincial government is running an expanded campaign by declaring Ilam a 'controlled area' and neighboring districts as 'buffer zones' in line with its goal of declaring it a cholera-free district.

Only 28,500 vaccines are available in Taplejung

Farmers from the hills to the Himalayan regions are excited after the vaccination campaign has started. Geographically, the third largest district after Dolpa and Humla, farmers in Taplejung mainly depend on animal husbandry. Farmers in Yangma, including Phaktanglung Rural Municipality-7, which is 4,200 meters above sea level, have raised livestock including cattle, yaks, donkeys, cows and buffaloes.

The Koshi Province government has sent 28,500 doses of vaccine against Khoret to Taplejung this year. The district has one municipality and eight rural municipalities, and this amount of vaccine has to cover the entire area.

According to Yogen Shrestha, Information Officer of the Animal Service Center Taplejung, this time the vaccine has been provided for cows, buffaloes, yaks and cattle. The data shows that Sidingwa Rural Municipality has received the highest number of 5,000 doses among the districts. 54 vaccinators have been deployed in the district for the campaign. As the weather is getting colder and it will be difficult to reach difficult terrain, local technicians have said that the campaign will continue until November 23, but if necessary, it may be extended by 1-2 days.
Sidingwa Rural Municipality Chairman Manav Bahadur Rai, who is distributing vaccines with priority to farmers in remote areas, says, "Services reach nearby settlements immediately, but it will be difficult for technicians to reach distant farmers, so we are giving priority to remote areas." According to Mikwakhola Rural Municipality Chairman Bhakta Bahadur Karki, additional vaccinations will be coordinated with the province in the next phase after looking at the results this time.

Target of 182,000 in Sunsari

The campaign is in full swing in Sunsari in line with the goal of making Koshi Province free of cholera in the long term. According to Dr. Manoj Kumar Mahato, Chief Senior Veterinarian of the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Expert Center, Sunsari, 21,000 livestock have been vaccinated as of Saturday under the campaign being conducted in all 12 local levels.

The overall vaccination target in Sunsari is 182,000 livestock. The actual number of vaccinations may be higher as the records will be kept through a digital system, says Dr. Mahato. No serious effects have been seen in vaccinated animals in Sunsari. ‘There has been no case of animal death due to vaccination in Sunsari,’ says Dr. Mahato, ‘Some animals in the Itahari area had mild fever, it is natural for animals with weak immunity to show such symptoms.’

What is foot and mouth disease?
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects animals with two-toed hooves. Domestic animals such as cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, yaks and buffaloes in Nepal are at the main risk of this disease.

According to animal health experts, symptoms of cholera infection in animals include sudden fever, blisters on the mouth and feet, loss of appetite, and sores around the lips, tongue, hooves, and udder. After the blisters burst, the animal cannot stand up, becomes lame, and becomes weak. Since the disease is highly contagious, many animals in the same herd are affected in a short time.