The farming sector in South Africa (SA) has welcomed the landmark High Court ruling on Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) allowing livestock owners and private entities to independently procure and administer vaccines.

This decision successfully stripped the state of its strict monopoly over managing FMD outbreak.

The court found that the government’s centralised restrictions on animal vaccines, lacked a valid legal or scientific basis to prohibit private sector intervention.

The judgment is expected to improve disease control by speeding up access to vaccines.

–Channel Africa–