Uganda, Botswana join hands in search for FMD vaccine 

State House has announced a partnership between scientists in Uganda and Botswana aimed at finding a lasting solution to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) through developing a vaccine. 

The press department of State House said in a statement that this was revealed in a meeting between President Museveni and Botswana scientists at State House, Entebbe, on Monday. 

The President, information in the statement shows, “agreed to the partnership to develop a vaccine for the disease in Uganda.” 
“Botswana Vaccine Institute scientists have since collected samples from the cattle affected by FMD in the cattle corridor and other parts of the country affected by the disease,” the statement from State House reads. “These samples will be taken to Botswana Vaccine Institute to find a vaccine that will help prevent the infection.” 

During the meeting, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, the Agriculture Minister, informed the President that scientists from Botswana Vaccine Institute agreed to partner with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), to develop a vaccine. 

“In our discussions, they agreed to the idea that they can partner with us- NARO, to develop their kind [of] vaccine. They are now serving Southern Africa, so they believe they can also help us to produce for East Africa,” Mr Tumwebaze was quoted in the statement as saying. 

According to information from the Agriculture Ministry, the total number of susceptible animal herd that requires FMD vaccination is 44 million. This, therefore, requires an annual vaccine stock of 88 million doses for the bi-annual vaccination requirement at a cost of $2 per dose. 

The government has been procuring vaccines from foreign manufacturers to inoculate animals against the disease.  
Maj Gen (Rtd) David Kasura Kyomukama, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said the country is losing almost a trillion shillings because of the outbreak.

He said the FMD outbreak has now affected at least 36 districts in the cattle corridor, affecting the production of around six million cows. 
Mr Andrew Madeswi, the chief executive officer of Botswana Vaccine Institute, said the mission of collecting samples has been achieved and the next step is testing the samples, and the final findings will be out on March 29.

The engagement, State House said in a statement, was a follow-up on the bilateral meeting between President Museveni and President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi of Botswana on January 22 at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, on the sidelines of G77+ China Third South Summit. 

President Museveni was quoted in the statement as saying during the meeting: “The other time, I also discussed with HE Mokgweetsi about animal feeds, if the Botswana companies could come here because we have a lot of maize. For instance, the other year we produced five million tonnes but we consumed one million tonnes internally, so if there are companies which want animal feeds for local consumption and also for export back to Botswana, they are welcome.” 

Mr Tumwebaze was also quoted as saying they convinced the delegation from Botswana to also buy milk from Uganda, explaining that it is of high quality, and it is not from the affected areas where there is foot and mouth disease.