By Kamuntu Frank
Uganda has received a consignment of equipment that will be instrumental in locally manufacturing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines.
The consignment, donated by the Arab Republic of Egypt, was received by Brig Gen Dan Kakono, the Field Artillery Division Commander, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The equipment was delivered together with another batch of 1.5 million FMD vaccines procured from Egypt.
The reception event, also witnessed by Col McDans Kamugira, the CDF’s Military Assistant, featured Egyptian representatives, including MEVAC Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed El Kady, Chairman Dr Magdy El Sayed, the Sales Manager Dr Amgad Nagy from the Egyptian agriculture ministry and the Egyptian Defence Attaché to Uganda, Brig Gen Mohamed Embaby.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, led by the Minister of State for Agriculture Hon Bwino Fred Kyakulaga, were also present.
This is the fourth consignment of FMD vaccines from Egypt, following earlier deliveries in May, July, and November this year. The total amount of vaccines received is now ten million doses.
The FMD outbreak had led to quarantines in 32 districts across Uganda, causing considerable distress in the cattle corridor.
Affected districts included Luwero, Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, and Sembabule, among others. To mitigate the spread of the disease, the Ministry of Agriculture had imposed restrictions on the movement of livestock and livestock products into, out of, or through these districts.
Uganda’s total susceptible livestock population requires 44 million doses of FMD vaccines annually, necessitating a bi-annual vaccination programme costing approximately $176 million per year. The recent shipments from Egypt are expected to significantly bolster Uganda’s vaccination efforts.
The timely delivery of the vaccines follows proactive engagement between the CDF and Egyptian authorities. In October, the CDF met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation across various sectors.
According to Hon Bwino, the initial doses received have been administered in the high-risk areas in the cattle corridor. He added that the final batch and the equipment will help Uganda deal with the FMD problem decisively.
He thanked President Museveni for allowing the arrangement between Uganda and Egypt to ensure the timely delivery of the ten million vaccines, including the batch received today. He also thanked the CDF for championing the cooperation and good relations between Uganda and Egypt.
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