Uganda receives more foot and mouth disease vaccines from Egypt

ENTEBBE – Uganda has received another consignment of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines from Egypt, comprising 2.5 million doses. The shipment was officially received yesterday by the Special Forces Commander, Maj Gen David Mugisha, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

The reception event, also witnessed by Col McDans Kamugira, the CDF’s Military Assistant, featured Egyptian representatives including MEVAC Sales Manager Dr. Amgad Nagy from the Egyptian agriculture ministry and the Egyptian Defence Attaché to Uganda, Brig Gen Mohamed Embaby.

This is the third consignment of FMD vaccines from Egypt, following earlier deliveries of 3 million doses each in May and July this year. The initial batches were received in the presence of Gen Kainerugaba, who is also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, and the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), Frank Tumwebaze.

The FMD outbreak has led to quarantines in 32 districts across Uganda, causing considerable distress in the cattle corridor. Affected districts include Luwero, Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, and Sembabule, among others. To mitigate the spread of the disease, the Ministry of Agriculture has 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. Additionally, the Egyptian government has previously donated equipment to support the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) in enhancing local vaccine production.