Although government has endeavoured  to put in place programmes that can help communities in fighting poverty, the Nagana disease has failed many in Butaleja district. 

 

According to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Mathias Ndifuna, the poverty reduction programmes have been disrupted as a result of tsetse flies in the area. 

 

Animals which were provided by Send a Cow and those from the NAADS programme are among those which died last year from the Nagana disease where the district has registered 35% of cases. 

 

Nagana, also known as nagana pest or animal African trypanosomiasis, is a disease of vertebrate animals. The disease is caused by trypanosomes.  The trypanosomes infect the blood of the vertebrate host, causing fever, weakness, and lethargy, which leads to weight loss and anemia; in some animals the disease, is fatal unless treated. The trypanosomes are transmitted by tsetse flies.

 

 The district officials recently explained the exotic breed has failed resists this disease forcing them to advise pastoralists in the area to settle for the local animals. 

 

“It’s however unfortunate that the local animals cannot help them, overcome poverty as they produce little milk while our farmers cannot afford treatment of the exotic cows,”Ndifuna observed. 

 

Dr Gerald Oguttu the District Veterinary Officer for Butaleja revealed that the most affected are Namulo, Mazimasa, Wanale, Bumagi, Nawanjovu and Budumba Parishes. 

 

Explaining to the Assistant Commissioner for Entomology, Fredrick Luyimbazi who was in the area for sensitization awareness for the eradication of tsetse flies, Oguttu said the liberalization of the sell of veterinary drugs had worsened the situation. 

 

“Fake vets pretend to treat the animals at a lower price as the unsuspecting farmers ran towards them and in the end they lose cattle,” Oguttu explained.

 

 He said that about 35,000 animals present in the district are now under the threat of the Nagana disease if the ministry concerned does not act immediately.