Cabinet approves Supplementary Budget for foot and mouth disease control

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Cabinet has approved a supplementary budget of 14.6 billion Shillings for control and prevention of Foot and Mouth disease- FMD.

State Minister for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama says that the money will be used to implement policy actions passed by the cabinet to control the diseases. The proposed action policy, according to the minister, seeks to improve FMD control with the aim of accessing lucrative Regional and International markets and increase access to safe and effective vaccines.

Other actions include improving awareness about FMD, surveillance, information management and extension services in the country and strengthen the capacity of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the control and prevention of FMD.

Rwamirama was addressing Journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, on Tuesday.

FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that affects cattle, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. FMD has affected most of the cattle corridor districts in central Uganda including Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Gomba, Sembabule and Luweero.

In the last three years, the Ministry of Agriculture has declared quarantines and closed cattle markets in the affected districts to avert the spread of the disease amidst resistance from livestock farmers who accuse the government of selectively imposing the quarantine.

Early this year, a bitter row erupted between police and herdsmen in Lwemiyaga county in Sembabule district over the enforcement of cattle quarantine in the area.

The herdsmen and cattle dealers accused police of being used by selfish individuals to harass them under the pretext of containing the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease-FMD which they claim is non-existent in the area.

Rwamirama says they have taken a decision to tighten regulation and ensure that people are compliant with the quarantine.

Rwamirama says government will also have massive vaccination of animals.

Last year the government revealed plans to start producing animal vaccines when it opened the Regional Gene Bank for the Animal Genetic Resources for Eastern African at the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC &DB) in Entebbe.

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