Govt anticipates World Bank funding to manage lumpy skin disease

The Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), which has infected the country’s cattle, is anticipated to be controlled by Pakistan with the help of $30 million in World Bank funding.

According to a Ministry of National Food Security and Research official said, the World Bank granted the government’s request to use the unutilized cash from the $200 million loan that was approved for the locust control project.

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The government asked the World Bank to use the funds for the LSD control programme because the locust was brought under control and there is no longer a threat to the country in the foreseeable future. A formal project document will soon be submitted with the World Bank, which has previously assessed the situation resulting from the spread of LSD in livestock, according to the official. Negotiations with the bank are at an advanced level.

According to the person, the ministry shared a summary to the federal cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee requesting that an emergency be declared to stop the spread of LSD in animals. Additionally, the ministry asked the finance ministry to urgently authorise Rs700 million for the acquisition of vaccines.