Gulu receives 4,000 FMD vaccine doses

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu district has received 4,000 Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine doses.

Jackson Lakor, the Gulu District Production Officer says that the vaccines from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries will target cattle in the most affected areas in Palaro and Awach sub counties. He says the vaccination exercise shall commence on Wednesday.

According to Lakor, the doses are inadequate since Gulu district has over 60,000 cattle. Lakor says they have placed a request to the ministry for more doses.

Francis Wokorach, the chairman of Palaro sub county in Gulu district revealed that the disease was first detected in his area in August this year and that it has so far killed dozens of cattle. He explains that the most affected areas in Palaro sub county are Ongedu and Agoro-Yella parishes.

Wokorach added that the vaccination of the animals shall start on Wednesday with Labwor-omor and Oceto-aka Parishes followed by Oroko and Mede Parishes on Thursday. He blamed the outbreak of the disease on the cattle keepers who ferried some animals from other parts of the country.

Stephen Gang, a livestock farmer in Palaro sub county in Gulu district says when his neighbour lost 14 animals to foot and mouth disease, he immediately bought vaccines and vaccinated all his 70 cattle, an intervention which was late since all the animals had already been infected.

According to Gang, he bought antibiotics and treated the animals and none of the animals died from his farm.

Gang appealed to the district authorities to impose a strict quarantine in the most affected areas and that the vaccines should also be provided promptly to the farmers since most of them do not have enough money to buy the vaccines by themselves.

Richard Button Opwonya, another farmer in Palaro sub county says though none of his animals has been affected, he has taken strict measures on his animals by restricting the movements that would expose them to infection.

On September 3rd, the Ministry of Agriculture through Dr Anna Rose Ademun, the Commissioner of Animal Health imposed a quarantine in Awach and Paicho sub counties in Gulu district following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease.

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