Volume 4

Number 1

The African Star

An on-line publication for the certificate  and degree  in journalism distance education program

 

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Rift Valley Fever; knocked down the economic backbone of the country.

By Ali Ismael Mohamed –Puntland

 

Rift Valley Fever is an acute disorder or febrile illness of livestock: sheep, goats and

camels.  It is found mainly in east African countries (Sudan, Kenya and Uganda). 

 

The factor that transmits the disease is culex mosquito in east Africa and Aedes Mosquito

in parts of Southern African countries respectively. 

 

Following an incubation period of 3-6days, the patient has an acute febrile illness that is

difficult to distinguish clinically from other viral fevers. 

 

Complications are indicative of severe infection and include retinopathy, meningo-

encephalitis, hemorrhagic manifestations and hepatic necrosis.  Mortality approaches

50 percent in severe forms of the illness. Treatment is symptomatic.

 

As the name implies the disease is first seen in rift valley then it spread through eastern

and southern African countries. Most of Al-khaleej countries warned not to import the

Somali livestock, when they heard the disease is seen in some kinds of Somalian

livestock. 

This is not true because Somalia couldn’t be found the factor that transmits the disease.

Somalia is not included geographically the countries that were isolated the virus. 

 

The Virus is animal and human host, and still there is no evidence showing that the virus

is confirmed nor really exists its disease in Somalia. It is possible to find some infected

animals which are imported from the neighbors through the border. 

 

This hypothesis affected and demolished the economic backbone of the country. As the

livestock is the only capital and asset of the country, if it’s suspended permanently from

the country it will completely destroy the economic and the country will became

separated from the rest of the world.

 

The suspension of economic backbone means to continue hunger, disease, fighting,

illiterate and instability of the region. It is not fair to destroy the only economic backbone

remained for the country that suffering more than sixteen years of civil wars, droughts,

diseases and instability. 

 

This, who will benefit it,?  What is the interest to the international community beyond this episode?

These questions are to be asked whenever we are analyzing the root problem and

economic failure of the country.

 

This is not legal and justice to the globalization of the world to wait not acted the on going civil war, economic disaster and political instability of the country.