The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has asked research scientists developing the anti-tick vaccine to expedite the process for Uganda to save sh3.8 trillion spent on the treatment of tickborne diseases annually.

He made the call while addressing agricultural researchers of NARO at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) at Nakyesasa recently.

His call followed reports from the Minister of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries,  Frank Tumwebaze who said that from the field trials of the vaccines, that were conducted in two prison farms and three NARO farms in the country for the past one year, no animal has died due to tick-borne related diseases and yet acaricide application had been reduced to a minimum of one acaricide application for 6 months.

“I was happy when the minister told me that they have done tests on prison farms and that for the whole year no cow has died due to tick-borne diseases, which is a huge achievement. If we can expedite that and move quickly to ensure that it is rolled out, we shall have saved this country a lot of money,” Tayebwa said.

(L-R) Frank Tumwebaze, minister of agriculture, Thomas, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Hellen Adoa , state minister of fisheries at the National Livestock Resource Research Institute on November 9, 2023. Photo by Mary Kansiime

According to the principal investigator of the anti-tick vaccine Dr. Fredrick Kabi, the development of the anti-tick vaccine is in advanced stages, adding that the livestock industry will flourish given that up to 3.8 trillion annually losses due to ticks and tickborne diseases will now be saved.

Kabi added that the trial vaccine has sailed through “proof of concept”, and “on-station clinical trials” and is currently winding up field trials at Mbarara ZARDI, Maruzi livestock experimental station in Apac, Nabuin ZARDI in Nabilatuk district and the Uganda Government Prison farms at Kiburara in Ibanda district and then Isimba in Masindi.

Trial team members have been trained in good clinical practice (GCP) and some researchers had already acquired PhD training in livestock vaccine development, added Kabi.

To ensure safety and effectiveness, Kabi said the trials of the vaccine are being monitored by National Drug Authority (NDA) and National Bio-safety Committee (NBC) of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST). This involves pre-trial, mid-term and post-trial field visits and several other field inspections as deemed necessary.

According to the director of research at the NaLIRRI, Dr William Ntege Nanyeenya,  currently the institute is focusing on the management of tick-borne related diseases because these account for more than 70% of the health bill on the farm.

“The focus is on anti-tick vaccines because the tick and tickborne diseases are the major drawback to livestock production. More than 70% of the health bill on the farm goes into control and management of ticks and related diseases,” Nanyeenya said.

Dr. Nanyeenya singled out the most dangerous tick-borne diseases to the country as East Coast Fever (ECF)Heart Water, Red Water and Anaplasmosis among others.

Other vaccines being developed at the institute include vaccines against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), African Swine Fever for piggery, Gumboro and Newcastle diseases that mainly affect the poultry sector among others.