BY PATIENCE AMPAIRE
LYANTONDE- Livestock farmers in Lyantonde district have expressed concern over the limited number of veterinary doctors who can fully monitor the livestock health in the district.
Ezra Bwebale Mugenyi, the secretary for production Lyantonde district council told this publication that the ratio of one veterinary doctor per sub county as per government policy is not applicable in cattle corridor districts like Lyantonde .
“Doctors are few compared to the number of livestock in the district which is making it hard for the available doctors to manage livestock diseases in the district,”
Mugenyi argued that there is a need for the government to recruit more veterinary doctors to districts burdened with the highest number of livestock than recruiting doctors in districts without or with very few livestock.
He made remarks while receiving 20,000 doses of lumpy skin disease from Daphine Rwakiki Kanyesigye, one of the aspiring women members of parliament for Lyantonde district. The vaccines will be equitably shared in eight sub counties that make up Lyantonde district.
While handing over the vaccines to the district, Rwakiki urged livestock farmers to be supportive during the exercise and cooperate with veterinary doctors to effectively protect livestock from lumpy skin disease.
“I will coordinate with the District Veterinary officer Mr Ronald Bameka to facilitate veterinary doctors to vaccinate livestock and on this I want to emphasise that no farmer should pay a penny for vaccination,” she said.
Rwakiki noted that she is aware that farmers are still constrained with FMD vaccine, noting that she is trying her level best to fix the gaps with some FMD vaccines as well.
“I want to assure residents of Lyantonde that as a daughter of a peasant I know all the bottle-necks in farming and I will use my connections and friends to lobby for the good of peasants,” she said.
Dr Roanld Bameka the district veterinary officer for Lyantonde applauded Rwakiki for the big heart and specifically for focusing efforts on livestock which many people don’t consider.
“Rwakiki focusing on livestock is one of the unique ideas because once farmers are empowered and their livestock are health then poverty is kicked out of farmers,” he said.
Mr Fred Muhangi the Lyantonde district chairperson hospitably received the vaccines and acknowledged Rwakiki for generous donation to farmers.
“I want to applaud Rwakiki for this and discourage politicians from politicizing development such that whoever can lobby or can help farmers with vaccines in this period of livestock diseases should come on board,” he said.
Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle. It is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks. It causes fever, nodules on the skin and can also lead to death, especially in animals that have not previously been exposed to the virus.
