Policy reversal on livestock vaccination to allow farmers buy vaccines

The Minister made this revelation while presenting a statement on the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 01 February 2024.

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Hon. Frank Tumwebaze has said that government is considering a policy reversal on vaccination of livestock, to allow farmers purchase vaccines.

The Minister made this revelation while presenting a statement on the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 01 February 2024.

Tumwebaze said that whereas the current policy requires government to avail vaccines to farmers as a public good, the budget for procuring vaccines has been insufficient covering only 1.1 per cent of the susceptible domestic animal population, contrary to the recommended 80 per cent.

"Our total susceptible animal herd that requires FMD vaccination as per current estimates is 44 million. This therefore, requires an annual vaccine stock of 88 million doses for the bi-annual vaccination requirement at a cost of USD$2 per dose. The financial implication for this translates into USD$176m," said Tumwebaze.

He added that government has been studying the financial implication and notes the financial stress it would impose on the national budget if the requirement for bi-annual mass vaccination is to be achieved.

"Accordingly, a Cabinet Paper is scheduled for discussion on Monday, 05 February 2024 to consider a number of policy options including cost sharing since the cost per dose is affordable by most livestock farmers," he said.

In the interim, Tumwebaze said that last year, MAAIF repurposed some of its development budget and managed to avail 2.6 million doses to the 94 districts through the district veterinary officers.

"Under the same arrangement, we have ordered for 2.3 million doses expected in a few months to come," he said adding that, "another challenge associated with procuring of FMD vaccines is that they cannot be bought off-shelf since they are biologicals with a short shelf life. You order and they manufacture for you. This explains the delay in their supply chain".

Tumwebaze added that MAAIF will present a supplementary request to procure 10 million doses to cover all the affected and high risk districts as well as equip and support DVOs with disease surveillance tools and resources.

He also said that that the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has started on the process of formulating and developing a FMD vaccine and are due for evaluation and scrutiny by the National Drug Authority.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)