2 sub-counties under quarantine over foot-and-mouth disease in Bukedea
Farmers are encouraged to vaccinate their animals to control foot and mouth disease. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Bukedea District has one of the largest weekly cattle market in Uganda, which also serves neighbouring countries of Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Authorities in Bukedea District have imposed a quarantine in Kamutur and Aminit sub-countries following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
Mr Aloysius Bukenya, the District acting district veterinary officer for Bukedea, said they are trying to establish the magnitude of the infection in the district.
“Movement of livestock and livestock products have been banned with immediate effect in the affected sub-counties,” Mr Bukenya said.
The veterinary officer said the disease is spread through sharing of both grazing and water points.
Mr Bukenya said plans to procure vaccines have been communicated to the line ministry, and as soon as the vaccines arrive, a mass vaccination exercise will be conducted.
“The virus can spread rapidly through either direct or indirect transmission, animals always present high temperatures, which is followed by development of blisters,” he added.
Mr James Peter Adok, the Aminit Sub-county chairperson, said 1,300 head of cattle contracted the disease in the sub-county.
Mr Adok added that so far a total of five cattle have died in three weeks.
“I want to appeal to the government to look for any possible measure to get the vaccine and help the affected farmers,” he added.
In Kamutur Sub-county, Mr Jackson Ojekede, the chairperson, said about 5,000 cattle are infected.
He appealed to the cattle keepers to respect the quarantine that has been put in place.
“The district veterinary officer and his team are conducting routine checkup of the cattle but we lack the vaccines,” said Mr Ojekede.
Bukedea District has one of the largest weekly cattle market in Uganda, which also serves neighbouring countries of Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Mr Ben Angura, the chairperson of Kabarwa Sub-county, which neighbours Kamutur, said: “I want to call upon the district leaders to strengthen the policy, cattle traders have now resorted to passing in my sub-county [to dodge] , this puts my sub-county at risk of contracting the disease”.
