By Tom Gwebayanga
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAIIF) has lifted the Cattle Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) quarantine in the districts of Buyende and Kamuli, ending the 10-month ban that restricted the movement of livestock and sale of dairy products.
On Wednesday, during the stakeholders meeting at Buyende District Headquarters, the Resident District Commissioner, Mjr. Betty Akello Otekat, who doubles as the Chairperson of the District Security Team, revealed that the Animal Health Commissioner sent a communication, calling off the ban.
The breakthrough, according to Mjr. Akello was attributed to the working relations and communication between the technical team, leaders and farmers who were united.
“Spot identification, timely reporting, vaccinating disease-free animals and treating the diseased were the major weapons we used to suppress the outbreak,” Akello said.
The outbreak that was in several districts, according to Dr Ademun, was characterised by sporadic deaths amid less supply of vaccines, which were later sourced from outside the country.
“However, our ground technocrats including veterinary, production officers and other key players remained committed to identifying hot spots and ring fencing them amid treating and monitoring their recovery,” he explained.
In the process, he adds that crisis meetings were conducted to mitigate spreading of the disease.
Farmers speak out
The farmers say that vaccines and veterinary drugs are expensive.
George Buyinza Sanyu, a farmer from Bulangaire in Kagulu sub-county said that a dose of FMD vaccine is sh5,000 per cow, which is very expensive for farmers.
“Having 10 cows implies that you have to pay sh50,000, when you add the drug costs, the total shoots to sh100,000,” Buyinza said.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: A Veterinary doctor treats a cow infected with FMD.
