By Alex Gahima
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is set to distribute free vaccines to Kisoro district aimed at controlling the spread of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), also known as sheep and goat plague.
Kisoro district Veterinary Officer Dr. Ngabo Herbert Bubasha confirmed the development.
According to Dr. Ngabo, PPR was first detected in the district, back in July this year in Nkuringo town council before spreading to Rubuguri town council and eventually the entire Bukimbiri Constituency.
Dr. Ngabo says it is a viral disease that affects sheep and goats, killing them in large numbers.
Infected animals will usually develop corneal opacity (center of the eye gets cloudy and eventually becomes blind), severe diarrhea, anorexia (failure to eat) and death.
A temporary quarantine was instituted by the district leadership after the disease spread from Bufumbira North towards Bukimbiri Constituency and eventually inland.
Dr. Ngabo says samples collected and sent to the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Center in Entebbe all tested positive.
Kisoro district has been on a full-scale quarantine of goats and sheep since September 5th, 2022, following a directive by the commissioner of animal health in the ministry.
The directive says no one is allowed to move Sheep and goats, together with their products into the district, out of the district, within or across the district.
A total of 150 animals have since died since the outbreak of the disease in the district.
The worst hit places include Nkuringo, Rubuguri and Nyarusiza.
Ngabo says the district leadership needs to be commended for managing the outbreak, unlike in 2017 when the first PPR outbreak claimed 600 goats and 100 sheep.
He noted that all slaughterhouses in the district have been cautioned against selling goat meat.
Dr. Ngabo says Vaccines will be available throughout the month of November. He called on farmers to sacrifice at least 500 Ugandan shillings for a syringe and needle per animal.
An animal census of 2014 shows that the population of goats and sheep was 289,000 and 384,000 respectively.
Dr. Ngabo offered personal insight saying that the number of goats and sheep could have increased significantly to more than 750,000 collectively.
He further pointed out that if the vaccination campaign goes according to plan, people might be allowed to eat goat’s meat, as the festivities draw nearer.
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