AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS CRISIS

AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS CRISIS

Horse owners in most areas of Southern Africa are becoming increasingly aware of a crisis in their industry which is being overlooked by the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), as well as by other significant role players.

So far this season statistics gathered by independent non-profit organisation and social media group, AHS Challenge, indicate that the disease has affected over 600 horses with a 63% mortality rate. Reports from rural areas suggest that as few as 1 in 4 cases is reported to the authorities, meaning that the situation is potentially far worse. Pressure is mounting and aggrieved horse owners from all socio-economic groups and all provinces are calling for urgent government action in addressing the core issues. 

Current legislation requires all horses to be immunised against African Horse Sickness. At this time, the only registered vaccine is decades old and is produced by state owned entity, Onderstepoort Biological Products, which claims that lack of funding is impeding new research in spite of having received large cash injections over preceding years. The vaccine's efficacy is being questioned by many in the industry due to increasing evidence of fatalities amongst correctly vaccinated horses.

With the disease being endemic to Southern Africa, movement of horses in and out of affected areas is unrestricted apart from the Western Cape exclusion zone where the equine export industry is based. Senior State Vets should have the power to restrict movement to and from outbreak areas, without requiring Ministerial approval to do so. There is compelling evidence to suggest that this measure would prevent outbreaks in many areas in future.

DAFF has a poor record of keeping the public advised of outbreaks, and inefficient communication means that no effective early warning system is currently in place for horse owners. The AHS Trust, established specifically for this purpose, has recorded less than one third of the number of cases reported to AHS Challenge. Reporting of cases has not been standardised either by DAFF or the Trust, so that there is confusion over confirmed and suspected cases and their outcomes. Poor communication between State Vets and their private sector colleagues further obstructs the information flow.

Press coverage of this season's outbreaks has been scant and has largely been characterised by inaccurate reporting highlighting the widespread ignorance about the disease, its transmission, symptoms and management. This has exacerbated a serious situation and may have lead to non-reporting of many cases to the authorities.

Turn around times for AHS tests at OVI/ARC, the accredited laboratory are ludicrous at best whilst other, more efficient laboratories such as the Equine Research Centre are awaiting accreditation in a bureaucratic maze which appears to lead straight back to DAFF once again.

Advanced research is currently being undertaken by private researchers, but this too is impeded by lack of funding and a notable lack of government concern. The government would do well to remember that the horse industry is a large scale employer of both skilled professionals and semi-skilled labour and that horses are crucial to a cross section of South Africans, for many of whom they are the only form of transport and therefore key to economic upliftment.

Failure to address these issues at a national level will have dire consequences for the industry and for the nation. Distressed horse-owners are promising to roll out a series of highly visible protests nation wide, as well as campaigning for increased media pressure on DAFF to address these issues urgently.

Jenny Copley-Forster
Media Liaison Officer AHS CHALLENGE 
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/fightAHS)
email : africanhorsesickness@gmail.com