Despite official statements about a reduction in the number of hotspots of dangerous diseases, new cases of zoonotic infections continue to be recorded in the country's regions. The situation with anthrax, brucellosis, and tuberculosis in animals is causing particular concern among experts.
According to the agency APK News, the chairman of the public association 'Veterinary Doctors of WKO', Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Professor Gaisa Absatirov, criticised the excessive optimism of the Ministry of Agriculture's reports.
"I was not left indifferent by the materials from the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin on veterinary safety issues. The main report noted that the country is seeing a steady trend towards a reduction in the number of new hotspots of dangerous diseases, export restrictions have been lifted, and the industry's material base is being updated. But such impressive figures on well-being and staffing levels raise doubts. Overall, the reports of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the authorised veterinary department 'sin' with excessive bravado," Absatirov noted.
According to him, in practice many unresolved problems remain, and outbreaks of dangerous diseases are being recorded in various regions of the country.
For example, in just the first months of this year, eight cases of anthrax infection among the population were recorded — in the Akmola and Karaganda regions, as well as three cases in Shymkent and the Turkestan region.
Meanwhile, significant budget funds are allocated annually for the vaccination of animals. According to the expert, the reasons for the ongoing threat are linked to incomplete vaccination of animals or poor-quality drugs, and violations of their storage and application regimes.
"All of this needs to be investigated. Violations of the technology for using vaccine preparations are also found in certain regions. For example, the head of the Zhambyl Regional Veterinary Station instructed practicing veterinarians to immunise animals three days after vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease. Such instructions contradict the patterns of the immunogenesis process," the expert noted.
At the same time, according to Absatirov, the problem of combating brucellosis remains unresolved. It is noted that the current strategy is not effective: new hotspots continue to be registered, and the established working group has not yet started work.
Animal tuberculosis is also a cause for concern for the expert. In June, an outbreak of the disease was detected in the Nura District of the Karaganda Region. It is reported that risks of its spread persist in other regions due to deficiencies in diagnostics. Furthermore, cases of blackleg, rabies, and parasitic diseases are periodically recorded.
It has become known that prosecutorial audits in the field of veterinary medicine have revealed fictitious vaccinations and the padding of non-existent livestock numbers in the country's regions. The staffing problem remains equally acute: the level of specialist training and their salaries raise questions.
"All of these shortcomings are the result of insufficient organisation and control of veterinary activities on the part of the authorised body and the supervising vice-ministers," Absatirov believes.
As measures, he proposed assigning specialists from the veterinary control and supervision committee to regions for regular monitoring, standardising the pay of veterinarians, introducing systematic refresher courses, and reviving specialised periodicals for sharing experience.