Exercise ‘VAJRA-SAT’ And Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

About Exercise ‘VAJRA-SAT’

• The Exercise ‘VAJRA-SAT’ was a National Tabletop Exercise on Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) serotype SAT-1 preparedness.
  • FMD serotype SAT-1 has not been reported in India.
  • In view of its geographical spread beyond Africa to parts of West Asia, the exercise was undertaken as a proactive preparedness initiative to safeguard livestock health, farmers’ livelihoods and the livestock economy.
• Organised by: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), in coordination with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru.
• Aim: It aimed to strengthen national preparedness and coordinated responses to transboundary animal diseases.
• Theme: The theme was “Detect Early, Confirm Fast, Contain Together.”
• Participants: It brought together 83 participants from 25 States and 3 Union Territories, along with national institutions, veterinary laboratories, universities, vaccine manufacturers and defence and border guarding agencies.
• Key Features
  • Simulated Outbreak Scenarios: Participants discussed early detection, laboratory confirmation, epidemiological investigation and animal movement control.
  • Preparedness Measures: The exercise focused on emergency vaccination, risk communication, disease surveillance and coordinated responses.
  • Key Recommendations: It highlighted the need for timely reporting, rapid diagnosis, vaccine readiness and inter-State coordination.

About Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)

• It is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs.
• It was the first disease for which the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE) established official status recognition.
• Cause: It is caused by the FMD virus, which belongs to the Aphthovirus group.
• Symptoms: It causes vesicles (blisters) in affected animals and reduces milk yield, growth rate and working capacity.
• Mortality: Most infected animals survive, but they may remain weak and suffer reduced productivity.
• Transmission: It spreads through infected animals, their secretions and excretions, respiratory and oral routes, contaminated meat, dairy products, equipment and clothing.
• Vaccine: Vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is called Futvac.
• Human Risk: It is an animal disease and does not pose a human health or food safety threat.
  • It is different from hand, foot and mouth disease in children.
• Impact: It leads to reduction in milk yield, decreased growth rate, infertility, reduced working capacity in bullocks, and a trade embargo in the international market.
• Control: Control of FMD can be achieved by mass vaccination of susceptible livestock repeatedly at regular intervals till the incidence of the disease comes down.