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The arrival of these vaccines offers hope for mitigating the economic and agricultural impact of the FMD outbreak in Uganda
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By Our Reporter
Uganda has received a new consignment of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines from Egypt, totaling 2.5 million doses. The shipment was officially received on Thursday by the Special Forces Commander, Maj. Gen. David Mugisha, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The reception ceremony, also attended by Col. McDans Kamugira, the CDF’s Military Assistant, included Egyptian representatives such as MEVAC Sales Manager Dr. Amgad Nagy from the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the Egyptian Defence Attaché to Uganda, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Embaby.
This marks the third consignment of FMD vaccines delivered by Egypt, following earlier shipments of 3 million doses each in May and July this year. The initial batches were received by Gen. Kainerugaba, who also serves as the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, and the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), Frank Tumwebaze. 
The reception ceremony, also attended by Col. McDans Kamugira, Dr. Amgad Nagy and Brig. Gen. Mohamed Embaby among others
The ongoing FMD outbreak has led to livestock quarantines in 32 districts across Uganda, severely impacting the cattle corridor. Districts affected include Luwero, Gomba, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, and Sembabule. To curb 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 areas.
Uganda’s livestock population requires 44 million doses of FMD vaccines annually to sustain a bi-annual vaccination program, which costs approximately $176 million per year. The latest vaccine shipments from Egypt are expected to provide significant support for the country’s vaccination efforts.
The timely delivery of these vaccines follows proactive discussions between the CDF and Egyptian authorities. In October, the CDF met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo, where both parties reiterated their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation across various sectors. The Egyptian government has also previously donated equipment to support the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) in boosting local vaccine production.
The arrival of these vaccines offers hope for mitigating the economic and agricultural impact of the FMD outbreak in Uganda.
Torch Media Africa
