The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has commenced the second phase of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination campaign to complete its planned bi-annual vaccination in 84 districts.
Such targeted districts include Adjumani, Mpigi, Agago, Gulu, Rakai, Jinja, Kasese, Kiboga, Kibale, Wakiso, and Kyotera among others.
This was revealed by the Minister of State for Animal Industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama on Tuesday 5th November while handing over 4,560,000 doses of FMD vaccines to 84 District Veterinary Officers (DVOs) at the Ministry headquarters in Entebbe.
Hon Rwamirama said that the government procured vaccines which are part of the additional vaccines that have been given out in phases to make sure that every cow is vaccinated.
In addition, he acknowledged the importance of exhausting the vaccines quickly to start the new policy shift.
“The current operating policy is that the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine is free and compulsory. So we have established challenges in the process and we don’t have enough vaccines to cover the national herd yet our budgetary resources are huge. So the new policy shift separate mandates between farmers and the government.,” the Minister of State for Animal Industry remarked.
He also highlighted that the cost of the vaccine will be settled by the farmers, and the cost of the vaccination exercise together with the cold chain will be the responsibility of the government.
The Commissioner in charge of Animal Health at MAAIF, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, revealed that the new policy aims to chase FMD out of Uganda because it’s the chief disease preventing the country from accessing the international market.
In addition, she also highlighted that Post Bank has developed a system known as WENDI for farmers to pay for FMD vaccines.
“The government has provided funding to buy the FMD vaccines and facilitate veterinary officers. Therefore, as MAAIF, our work is to ensure that only quality vaccines are procured and stored in the veterinary medical stores for the DVOs to pick them up after payment by the farmers,” Dr Ademun explained.
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