By Asimenye Sibale, MANA
Chitipa District Veterinary Officer, Steve Musopole has expressed deep concern over poor conditions of slaughter houses in the district, a situation he said is a serious threat to outbreaks of diseases both in animals and humans.
After a recent district executive committee meeting on animal and public health, Musopole said all 20 slaughter houses in the district do not have water supply and neither are they fenced.
Open air butcheries like this are a common sight
“Dogs have easy access to the slaughter houses where they scavenge for pieces of animal carcasses left-over in these places, Musopole said.
“This situation puts people around the houses at risk of contracting diseases such a rabies among others through dog bites.”
Chitipa Medical Officer, Esther Mkandawire said the district has recently registered an increase of people seeking treatment for rabies after being bitten by stray dogs.
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“Treatment for rabies is very expensive, for instance, we spend about K2 million on rabies vaccine annually,” Mkandawire said.
Currently, Chitipa District Council has issued a ban on movement and slaughtering of pigs due to an outbreak of African swine fever in the district.
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