Farmers to pay for Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines

The Monday cabinet meeting approved a policy proposition that requires farmers to pay for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines while government will incur the cost of vaccine administration, transportation and storage, the agriculture minister has revealed.

According to the statement issued by Mr Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), although the cabinet approved for the immediate sourcing of 10 million FMD doses, livestock owners are required to meet the cost of vaccines for their animals.

“Cabinet sitting today [on Monday] discussed among other things the strategy by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to control and eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Uganda,” the statement reads in part.

“The cabinet approved immediate sourcing of 10 million doses of FMD vaccine to enable scaling up of ring vaccination in the affected and neighbouring districts at high risk. It also approved plans by government to create a revolving fund to enable procurement of sufficient FMD vaccines periodically in the country to facilitate compulsory bi-annual vaccination of the susceptible domestic animal population,” he added.

This publication has learnt that the cabinet resolved to make vaccination of all susceptible animals compulsory once the country is able to procure adequate vaccines.

“When the revolving fund has been created and adequate vaccine stocks have started coming into the country, vaccination of all susceptible domestic animals will be made compulsory,” Mr Tumwebaze said.

He added that proof of vaccination will be a pre-condition for any farmer to sell any animal or animal products.

Mr Tumwebaze further urged livestock farmers and stakeholders to understand and appreciate the approved government efforts against FMD to ensure its eradication like it was on other animal diseases like Rinderpest.

Last week, Mr Tumwebaze told Parliament that his ministry needed Shs76b supplementary to purchase 10 million doses of vaccines against FMD, adding that the disease had spread to at least 36 districts while 29 districts were listed as high risk and under strict surveillance.

In the same plenary sitting, Mr Tumwebaze emphasised that the current restrictions in the affected and high risk district are to stay in place until vaccinations are done.

The affected districts include; Mubende, Kyotera, Fort Portal City, Rakai, Ngora, Mbarara, Butaleja, Bukedea and Gomba, among others.

While appearing before Parliament, Mr Tumwebaze said a dose goes for USD2, which is approximately Shs7, 600, adding that although this price is considered affordable among farmers, the purchase of the vaccines is delayed by the supply chain.