The veterinary sector of Kapelebyong district has reported great community reception for the ongoing mass vaccination of cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
Raymond Ekita, the acting District Veterinary Officer, said that the farmers have not only responded positively to deliver their cattle for vaccination but also supported the construction of temporary cattle crushes at the vaccination points.
He acknowledged that without the support of the community, the veterinary teams would be struggling to use the eight permanent functional ones.
Ekita noted that the team had vaccinated over 9600 cattle in Acowa and Akoromit sub-counties by July 19, 2024.
Despite registering success, Ekita confirmed to have received defiance from Airiamet and Onapai villages in Akore parish on claims of the vaccine being unsafe.
“This vaccine is very safe, and it meets international standards. In case they continue to defy our appeal, we will involve security to handle them. We don’t want their communities to be breeding grounds for FMD,” Ekita said.
John Okello, a farmer in Acowa, praised the veterinary staff for their commitment to vaccinating animals. He said that the timely exercise saved them from the great economic losses that result from FMD.
Francis Akorikin, the District Chairperson for Kapelebyong, urged farmers to embrace the vaccination of their animals since the vaccine is expensive to acquire.
The veterinary staff of Kapelebyong district is handling the mass vaccination exercise in all parishes, and the exercise began on July 3, 2024, with the target of vaccinating 30,000 cattle by September 13, 2024.
Recently, Kapelebyong district received 30,000 doses of FMD vaccine and a refrigerator from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF). The district has 106,000 cattle, according to the recent livestock census report.
The statistics indicate that Kapelebyong sold 21,659 cattle in the financial year 2023/2024.
By Emmanuel Opio (Communication Officer of Kapelebyong District Local Government)
