Govt vaccinates against foot-and-mouth disease

Leaders in Nwoya District have rolled out a mass vaccination exercise of at least 10,000 head of cattle following a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FDM).

Mr Alfred Kilama, the Nwoya District Production Officer, told the Monitor that the vaccination drive that will run until January 15 will cover all villages with suspected cases of the infection. 

Mr Kilama, who is also the district agricultural officer, said they have only secured 8,000 dosages of the vaccines from the Health ministry. More than half of the vaccines have been applied.

“Vaccination is going on, our veterinary staff are on the ground delivering and administering the vaccines. Our worry is that by January 15, we will run short of vaccines,” Mr Kilama said at the weekend.

He said the vaccination drive followed a suspected outbreak of the infectious livestock disease in Nyamokino and Gotokwara parishes in Lungulu Sub-county.

This publication has established that about 60 head of cattle showed signs and symptoms of the disease at a farm located by the banks of the River Nile in Nyamokino Parish, Nwoya District, a fortnight ago. 

Following the suspected outbreak, the district drew samples from animals and submitted them to the Agriculture ministry for a test. 

“The results from Entebbe are not yet out. They told us that the report has been submitted to the ministry, but we are following up on the matter,” he added. 

Mr Christopher Omara, the Resident District Commissioner of Nwoya, said: “We decided to request the ministry to send us vaccines, so we have ensured that from that sub-county of Lungulu to all the other sub-counties, all animals are being vaccinated.” 

He added that the district has scheduled a sensitisation meeting with all cattle keepers, including the Balaalo to create awareness about the importance of vaccination of animals. 

“Nwoya District is one of the districts with the highest number of animals at the moment, we have several Balaalo who have moved into the areas illegally. There has been laxity and many entered the area at night,” Mr Omara said.

2021 outbreak

In July 2021, Nwoya District registered an outbreak of the FMD in Purongo and Anaka sub-counties that killed at least 25 head of cattle.  The outbreak resulted in the ministry slapping a quarantine on animal trade in the district that lasted until January last year. The disease affects cattle, goats, and swine, including other hoofed ruminant animals. It also presents with symptoms such as blisters in the mouth and on the feet of the animal, and high temperature.