The handover ceremony, attended by representatives from both countries, including Dr. Amgad Nagy from Egypt’s agriculture ministry and Brig Gen Mohamed Embaby, the Egyptian Defence Attaché, underscores the strong bilateral cooperation in combating livestock diseases. The ongoing FMD outbreak has severely impacted Uganda’s livestock sector, leading to quarantines in 32 districts, particularly within the cattle corridor, including regions like Luwero, Isingiro, and Kiruhura.
The Ministry of Agriculture has implemented restrictions on livestock movement in affected areas to prevent further spread of the disease. Uganda requires approximately 44 million doses of FMD vaccines annually, necessitating a bi-annual vaccination program costing around $176 million. The recent contributions from Egypt are expected to significantly enhance Uganda’s vaccination efforts and strengthen its reserves.