Struggling to combat maggot attacks [Archives:2008/1143/Local News]

SANA'A, March 31 ) (IRIN) – Myiasis, the infestation of human or animal tissue with fly larvae (maggots), is spreading fast among livestock: The government cannot control it due to lack of funds, according to officials at the Yemeni Ministry of Agriculture's General Department for Animal Resources (GDAR).

The disease, which first appeared in December 2007, has now been detected in the governorates of Saada, al-Hudeidah, Hajjah and al-Mahwit.

Ghaleb al-Eryani, GDAR's director-general, told IRIN on 30 March that his department lacked the funds to fight the disease and as a result, surveillance and field teams had been unable to continue their work.

“The allowances of field teams have not been paid and they will stop working as of 31 March