## 3.1.2.2 STAFFING 

The Department has an establishment of 3650 staff both at headquarters and in all Veterinary Districts (10) countrywide. Refer to Annexure 3 for the Organisational structure of the DVS relevant to FMD control and prevention. 

## 3.2 KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR ROLE 

FMD is a complex disease and the fight against it cannot be won by the DVS alone. For the Department to succeed in its effort to completely eradicate and control the diseases, it needs to collaborate with other stakeholders. The DVS therefore, in its determination to control the foot and mouth disease has partnered with the following entities in an attempt to manage the FMD challenge. 

## 3.2.1 BOTSWANA POLICE SERVICE AND BOTSWANA DEFENCE FORCE 

The DVS engages the BPS and the BDF during outbreaks to ensure that animal movement protocol is followed. They assist the DVS officers to search vehicles and bags of people crossing the gates to ensure that prohibited products do not cross to FMD free zones in an effort that FMD is contained in one area. The DVS also engages these forces for fence patrols, especially patrol of the border fences. They report to the Department any damages caused to the fence which in most cases is caused by illegal immigrants as well as report cattle incursions into Botswana or any of the neighbouring countries. 

## 3.2.2 DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND NATIONAL PARKS 

The role of the Department is to provide expertise on how the DVS can best deal with wild animals. The DWNP assists the DVS during buffalo incursions to drive the animals back into the park as a way of curbing the risk of the buffaloes mixing with cattle and infecting them with FMD virus as well as posing a threat to human lives. 

