Uganda Gears Up for First Nationwide Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccination Drive in July

The Ugandan government is preparing to roll out the country’s first-ever nationwide Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination campaign, scheduled to commence in July and conclude in August. This significant public health initiative for animals follows the completion of farmer registration, onboarding, and vaccine distribution processes under the new National FMD cost recovery scheme.

Under this revised policy, the government will cover the expenses associated with vaccine procurement, cold chain logistics, distribution, surveillance, and veterinary supervision. Farmers, however, will contribute a subsidized user fee of Shs8,000 per dose for cattle and pigs, and Shs4,000 per dose for goats and sheep during the mandatory biannual vaccination cycles. The goal is to achieve at least 80% vaccination coverage for the nation’s estimated 45.5 million susceptible animals.

Minister of State for Animal Industry, Col. (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, highlighted that veterinary teams are finalizing micro-plans for mobilization and logistical support. The campaign aims to protect the national herd and reinstate international livestock trade, which has been hampered by FMD. He stressed that combating FMD requires a collective effort from all stakeholders.

As of mid-June, the registration process has successfully onboarded 20,000 farmers and registered approximately 3.5 million animals, primarily in key livestock-producing districts. Foot and Mouth Disease is a highly contagious viral illness affecting cloven-hoofed animals, posing a significant economic threat through reduced productivity, restrictions on movement, and lost market access, despite rarely causing high mortality in adult animals.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-to-launch-first-nationwide-fmd-vaccination-drive-in-july-5495804