China to aid Zambia construct first livestock vaccine production laboratory

Plans to establish Zambia's first-ever livestock vaccine production laboratory with the help of the Chinese government have reached an advanced stage, a senior official said on Tuesday.

During his visit to China in March this year, President Edgar Lungu signed a number of agreements with the Chinese government, and among them was an agreement for the establishment of a livestock vaccine production laboratory.

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Permanent Secretary David Shamulenge told Xinhua in an interview that the two countries are still vigorously pursuing the program of establishing the country's first-ever laboratory for production of livestock vaccines.

He said a team of Chinese experts visited Zambia last month to finalize modalities on the establishment of the laboratory and that the government is in the process of finding a piece of land where the laboratory will be constructed.

The official added that a team of experts from Zambia is expected to visit China to check on livestock vaccine production factories in that country and to finalize modalities on the plan.

According to him, the establishment of the laboratory will allow Zambia to start mass production of vaccines for all livestocks.

The deal, he added, will also enable the country build its capacity to prevent livestock diseases.

Zambia is prone to frequent outbreaks of livestock diseases, a situation that always results in negative impact on the socio-economic status of livestock farmers as this usually results in bans on the movement of livestocks.