Uganda receives more cattle vaccines from Egypt

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In a bid to combat the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, Uganda on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, received a consignment of three million doses from Egypt. 

The vaccines were received by the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, at Entebbe International Airport.

“With this consignment of three million, we shall be able to cover a reasonable number of animals at risk in the most highly affected and transit districts," said agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze.

The vaccines were received by the Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, at Entebbe International Airport. (Courtesy photo)

He also revealed that the package from Cairo was a result of “collaboration initiated by our CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba through his military relations with the government of Egypt."

On Tuesday, Tumwebaze and his colleagues from MAAIF were part of the team in Entebbe to witness the delivery.

MAAIF team included the state minister for animal industry Bright Rwamirama, the state minister for fisheries Hellen Adoa, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama and other senior officials.

The FMD outbreak has led to a quarantine in 32 districts across Uganda, causing significant distress in the cattle corridor.

The affected districts include Luwero, Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, and Sembabule, among others. To curb the spread of the disease, the agriculture ministry banned the movement of livestock and livestock products into, out of, or through these districts.

Tumwebaze said the shipment from Cairo included laboratory equipment intended to build the capacity at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) paving the way for the country’s manufacturing processes as agreed upon between our two countries.

In a bid to combat the ongoing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, Uganda on Tuesday July 16, 2024, received a consignment of three million doses from Egypt. (Courtesy photo)

Uganda's total susceptible animal herd requires 44 million doses of FMD vaccine annually, necessitating a bi-annual vaccination program costing $176 million per year. The recent vaccine shipments from Egypt will play a crucial role in supporting this effort.

On May 27, 2024, Rwamirama handed over the first batch of the 3 million doses of FMD vaccines to 27 districts at the National Animal Diseases Diagnostic Epidemiology Center (NADDEC) in Entebbe.

Rwamirama noted that “the vaccines procured from Egypt will support the districts that reported outbreaks. The FMD vaccine doses allocated will cover 60% of the 16 million livestock at risk. The Policy shift starting July will compel every farmer to vaccinate twice a year and farmers will buy the doses MAAIF will facilitate the process,” Rwamirama stated.