Socio-economic impact of brucellosis on livestock farmers in Southern and Western provinces, Zambia
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Technical Research and Applications
Abstract
Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic and
devastating disease that affects households’ potential to improve
their well-being through trade in livestock and livestock
commodities. Despite the disease being endemic in Zambia, there
is inadequate information, on its socio-economic impact on the
well-being of households rearing livestock. Therefore, a cross-
sectional study was conducted in Western and Southern
provinces of Zambia to determine the impact of brucellosis on
socio-economic well-being of livestock farmers at households.
The specific objectives of the study were to determine losses and
costs associated with brucellosis in livestock; determine socio-
economic wellbeing levels at the household; evaluate the linkages
between brucellosis and socio-economic wellbeing status; assess
the extent to which the current health policies address One
Health practice and the attitude towards One Health practices
among policy makers. Structured questionnaires, focus group
discussions and in-depth interviews with key informants were
used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data in this
research. All monetary losses were estimated in both domestic
currency; the Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) and the equivalent
international currency (USD); the exchange rate was 1 USD to
11.45 ZMW Zambian Kwacha (ZMW). The overall total losses
attributed to brucellosis-related calf mortality, in the studied
households was 1,535,800 ZM W (USD 134,131); 77,700 ZMW
(USD 6,786.02) was due to milk losses and 13,240 ZMW (USD
1156.33) due to vaccination costs. Lack of money to pay for
livestock health services was significantly associated with poor
household socio-economic well-being (p = 0.003), while level of
education of the household head was associated with the highest
positive brucellosis impact (p = 0.005) on socio-economic well-
being. Further, the alternative hypothesis that socio-economic
wellbeing levels differ significantly where there is less impact of
brucellosis in livestock and where such impact is higher, was
confirmed (F = 11.268, p = <0.001). Consequently the null
hypothesis was rejected. On the basis of these findings, it can be
concluded that reduced cost of disease prevention and losses due
to brucellosis can improve socio-economic well-being of livestock
farmers in Western and Southern provinces of Zambia.
Accordingly, in order to reduce costs and losses attributed to
brucellosis, livestock services and surveillance systems for
brucellosis should be prioritised and One Health collaboration
framework should be adopted.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Brucellosis, socio-economic well-being, costs and losses