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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Veterinary Association-UVA has partnered with Buganda Kingdom to promote livestock disease control for the purpose of preventing spillovers to human beings.
Dr. Ismail Asiimwe, the UVA President for Central Uganda Chapter, says the partnership is meant to mobilize communities to start paying the necessary attention to the prevention and control of livestock diseases, some of which are neglected, despite being dangerous if transmitted to humans.
He is concerned about the apparent low community participation in livestock vaccination exercises against diseases such as rabies, “Peste des petits ruminants”-PPR, Foot at Mouth Disease-FMD, that have the potential of manifesting in human beings and causing death.
Dr. Asiimwe explains that they intend to tap into the influence of Buganda Kingdom to sensitize the communities about these livestock diseases, and their prevention and control methods that are applicable to both animals and human beings.
He is optimistic that by using the Kingdom structures to speak out about livestock diseases, they will be able to increase the uptake of vaccination services and eventually reduce the livestock disease burden and their spread to human beings.
On the other hand, Dr. Asiimwe indicates that they also intend to use the partnership to eliminate imposters and counterfeits in the veterinary services and drugs supply chain, which has been a frustration to many farmers.
He indicates that through the partnership, they are going to regularly sensitize the public about the basics of veterinary science as well as encourage them to report fraudsters.
Hajjat Mariam Mayanja Nkalubo, the Buganda Minister for Lands, Agriculture, and Community Services who signed the partnership for the kingdom, says they are also looking forward to using the partnership to harness the productivity of their people.
For a long time, according to her, the livestock farmers have been grappling with the challenge of counterfeit drugs and substandard feeds for their animals, explaining that through the partnership with UVA, the kingdom is going to regularly organize farmers engagements to give appropriate guidance on best practices and innovations.
Drake Lubega, one of the piggery and poultry farmers in Masaka district has challenged the UVA to conduct research on the rare strains of diseases that are affecting their animals. According to him, farmers are now grappling with uncommon fevers in livestock, which are not responding to the drugs available on the market.
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