Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), has today received 3 million Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines from Egypt.
The Egyptian delegation was received by a delegation led by himself and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
In a tweet, the Minister honored also appreciated the CDF’s role in the attainment of these vaccines. “Together with CDF, and MAAIF team, we received this afternoon a consignment of 3m FMD vaccines delivered by Egyptian Airforce Cargo plane. I thank Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba for making this happen thru (sic) his good military relations with the Egyptian Army and govt.”
The minister was flanked by his deputy Bright Rwamirama and his Permanent Secretary Maj.Gen.(Rtd) David Kyomukama Kasura.
Yesterday, the Minister announced that the ministry had discussions with the Egypt FMD Vaccine manufacturing institute and agreed on a roadmap to supply Uganda with the vaccines, with the first consignment arriving today.
The FMD is a big menace to cattle farmers in the cattle corridor, which has made the MAAIF tighten quarantine orders against trading in cattle and meat in various districts across the country.
The FMD is caused by a virus and cannot be cured but animals can be vaccinated against it, plus isolation of the sick ones.
It has become a sticky issue across the cattle-keeping districts of Uganda as it greatly affects their economic livelihoods, thus becoming a political problem.
