Sri Vijaya Puram, May 26: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS), Andaman & Nicobar Administration, is set to launch the 33rd Round (7th Phase of NADCP) of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Mass Vaccination Campaign in the first week of June 2026, which will continue throughout the entire month of June 2026 across villages of South Andaman under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LH&DCP).
For effective implementation of the campaign, the Department has constituted 11 specialised vaccination teams comprising vaccinators, animal handlers and veterinary personnel under the supervision of Senior Veterinary Officers.
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs. The disease causes fever, excessive salivation, mouth ulcers and hoof lesions, leading to reduced milk production, poor growth and infertility, thereby causing significant economic losses to livestock owners.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has categorised FMD as a major transboundary animal disease. Notably, no outbreak of FMD has been reported from the Union Territory during the last six years due to sustained preventive measures undertaken by the Department.
The Department has emphasised the importance of ear-tagging of cattle before vaccination, as it helps in proper identification, maintenance of health records and effective disease monitoring under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).
Regular FMD vaccination helps in developing immunity among livestock, preventing disease outbreaks and improving animal productivity and health.
The Department has appealed to all livestock owners to extend full cooperation to the vaccination teams by ensuring that their animals are ear-tagged and made available for vaccination as scheduled. Collective participation is essential to maintain the FMD-free status of the Islands and safeguard the livestock sector.