By Apollo Mubiru
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries has distributed 900,000 doses of foot and mouth disease vaccines to be used in 46 districts affected by the outbreak.
The ministry projected the procurement of 10 million doses, with the government allocating sh35 billion even though they had requested sh93 billion shillings.
As more doses are expected, the ministry has allocated a sh200 payment to veterinary officers for each dose administered so that they do not charge any farmers.
A total of 23 districts have been prioritized initially, and according to the ministry, after an 80% success rate in implementation, there will be an ease in the quarantine.
“I am glad this afternoon to have kicked off the distribution of FMD vaccines. We hope to give out a total of 9 million doses to all affected districts by mid-June. I appeal to all district leaders political and technical to cooperate and monitor this exercise of vaccine administration,” Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze said on Monday, May 6, while handing over the vaccines.
This is the first batch of the delivery and more doses shall be delivered and distributed to the district in the coming days.
This vaccination is free of charge meaning farmers will not be required to pay for the service.
