Uganda Receives 3 Million Doses of Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccines from Egypt

Uganda has received 3 million doses of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines from Egypt. This is the first time ever that such a number of doses has been received at once.

The vaccines were received by Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, at Entebbe International Airport, where he was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), Frank Tumwebaze.

Together with @cdfupdf Gen @mkainerugaba @MAAIF_Uganda team, we received this afternoon a consignment of 3m FMD vaccine delivered by Egyptian airforce cargo plane .

I thank Gen @mkainerugaba for making this happen thru his good military relations with the Egyptian army and govt pic.twitter.com/2ho4L2lu0f

— Frank K Tumwebaze,MP: Isaiah 41: 11 (@FrankTumwebazek) May 23, 2024

The vaccines, which were acquired at subsidized costs, were handed over by the Deputy Minister for Agriculture from Egypt in the presence of the Egyptian Defense Attaché to Uganda.

The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Bright Rwamirama, MAAIF Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama and other senior ministry officials were also present as the consignment was received at the airport by Gen. Kainerugaba, who is also the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).

The Ministry of Agriculture has recently imposed a quarantine on 32 districts nationwide due to a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), causing panic and anger in the cattle corridor, where millions rely on milk and beef production for their livelihood.

The affected districts include Luwero, Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, and Sembabule, among others, where the disease has been found in many herds.

The Ministry of Agriculture has banned the movement of livestock and livestock products into, out of, or through these districts to other areas.

Uganda's total susceptible animal herd, which requires FMD vaccination, is estimated at 44 million. This necessitates an annual vaccine stock of 88 million doses for the bi-annual vaccination requirement, costing $2 per dose and amounting to $176 million per year.

The arrival of the vaccines follows the CDF's engagement with his friends in Egypt — this happened within a very short period of three months.