The Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has launched the construction of a Shs 2.5 billion vaccine cold storage facility at the National Animal Disease Diagnostic and Epidemiology Center (NADDEC) in Entebbe.
The multi-billion facility will be constructed on the funding that is already allocated by the government of the Republic of Uganda.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the State Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, Lt. Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, says the facility will have the capacity to store up to 80 million doses of vaccines.
“For the first time ever, the country is going to have a national cold chain facility that is going to store our vaccinations. We are tired of procuring vaccines, but all of it is put to waste because the country has nowhere to store it,” Minister Rwamirama said.
In addition, the minister highlighted that the boasts an estimated 14.5million cattle, 17.4million goats, 4.4million sheep, 7.1million pigs, and over 57.8million poultry, therefore by ensuring these animals remain healthy, the ministry will directly enhance the livelihoods of families and solidify their position as a robust agricultural nation.
“With this new vaccine cold storage facility, we will be able to maintain the potency of critical vaccines, especially against Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), LumpDisease & Rabies, among others. This will improve immunity, outbreaks and boost livestock productivity,” he noted.
Minister Rwamirama also confidently emphasized that with such a facility, the issue of FMD in Uganda will be put to an end, saying, “I don’t want to hear any more FMD outbreaks in Uganda after this facility if it happens, the commissioner for animal health and team will have to make a statement. Everybody is now looking at us because we have been crying every day that we don’t have money; they have given us money; what else are we going to tell the public.”
Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama, the MAAIF’s Permanent Secretary, revealed that the project came as a result of efforts put in by the Ministry political leadership who defended it in cabinet and in Parliament.
He, therefore, appreciated the Ministry political leaders for this effort, saying, “Their efforts resulted in what we are about to see soon because the government has given us the money required to construct this facility.”
Kyomukama added that MAAIF can no longer afford to continue importing vaccines and destroy them because of the lack of storage facilities and therefore directed the commissioner for Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanization and Water for Agricultural Production, Eng. Boniface Okanya to expedite the construction of this facility because it is urgently needed by the Ministry.
“We want this facility very quickly, you should work day and night to ensure that it is finished within the specified time. If you don’t do so, I am going to have uncomfortable discussions with you,” the Permanent Secretary said.
Eng. Boniface Okanya, on behalf of the Department of Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanization and Water for Agricultural Production, assured the Minister, the Permanent Secretary and other ministry officials that his team would do a good job and deliver it on time because the Ministry has been building internal capacity from within its engineers.
“We are going to do a job and deliver the facility on time because we have the best engineers in the Ministry. We are only going to contract supply of materials, the rest of the work will be done by our own engineers from the Ministry,” Eng. Okanya highlighted.
The facility is expected to be fully completed by the end of March 2025, with a storage capacity of 80 million doses of vaccines.
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