The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) has indigenously developed low-cost vaccine for foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle. Talking to reporters, Microbiology Department’s Chairman Dr Khushi Muhammad said in the past imported vaccines were injected two times a year to each animal while a single dose of indigenously prepared foot and mouth vaccine, named FMDHS, would be required annually. Locally prepared FMDHS vaccine is priced at 40 per dose while the price of imported vaccine is Rs 150 per dose. Pakistan has an estimated 6.7 million buffaloes and cows and the operational lab of the UVAS is developing a capacity to produce 1.5 million doses annually. The capacity could be enhanced to seven million doses per year if needed. The vaccine is also a potential item on our export slip.
