Tsetse-clearing programmes resume
By Obert Chifamba
The Tsetse Control Division has resumed tsetse-clearing operations in the northern and northeastern border areas of Zimbabwe.
The areas had been re-infested at the height of the economic meltdown when the division was incapacitated to carry out clearing operations.
Tsetse flies feed on animal blood and transmit trypanosomes that cause a fatal disease called trypanosomiasis (nagana) in cattle, and sleeping sickness in humans.
In livestock the disease causes abortions, reduced productivity (milk yields, draught power and carcass weight) and ultimately death. Major symptoms are muscular wasting, acute anaemia and a rough, upstanding coat.
Trypanosomiasis has no vaccine but can be prevented and cured using the drugs samorin and berenil respectively.
Speaking at the Harare Agricultural Show yesterday, a glossinologist with the division, Mr Liberty Madhumira, said his division had erected odour-baited insecticide-treated targets to clear the blood-sucking flies in Gokwe, Lusulu, Makuti, Mushumbi Pools, Kotwa, Rushinga, Save, Doma and Kotwa.
“We had drawn limit lines in all the areas that we had cleared before the setting in of the economic crisis but it became difficult for us to conduct any further clearing.
“At the moment we have resumed setting targets, usually on a monthly basis.
“The targets are cloths with two pathlogen blue patches sandwiching a black patch that has the insecticide Deltamethrine that kills the flies on contact,” Mr Madhumira explained.
The blue colour is used for its visual attraction while the black patch holds the chemical and odour that attracts the pest, which dies on landing. He added that they had started