Uganda launches nationwide Foot-and-Mouth disease vaccination drive
The drive is targeting 45.5 million susceptible animals as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen livestock health and reduce economic losses.
UGANDA – Uganda is preparing to roll out its first nationwide vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), with the programme scheduled to take place between July and August 2026.
The initiative was announced by Minister of State for Animal Industry Bright Rwamirama on June 14 and forms part of a broader overhaul of the country’s animal health management system aimed at establishing a more preventive and sustainable disease-control framework.
The vaccination programme marks the first large-scale implementation of Uganda’s new livestock vaccination model, which provides for two vaccination rounds annually to gradually cover the national herd and limit virus transmission.
Under the programme, the government will finance vaccine procurement, cold-chain infrastructure, logistics, distribution, and veterinary oversight, while livestock producers will contribute through subsidised vaccination fees.
Farmers will pay US$2.13 per dose for cattle and pigs and US$1.06 per dose for goats and sheep.
Participation in the campaign will require farmers to register their animals in a national livestock database designed to improve disease surveillance and vaccination tracking.
According to Rwamirama, the campaign is expected to cover approximately 45.5 million susceptible animals, including 16.5 million cattle, 17.4 million goats, 4.5 million sheep, and around 8 million pigs.
Although foot-and-mouth disease rarely causes death in adult animals, it significantly affects productivity by reducing milk yields, impairing reproductive performance, and restricting trade in livestock, meat, and dairy products.
Uganda has experienced a resurgence of the disease in recent years, with the Food and Agriculture Organization reporting outbreaks in more than 40 districts during 2023 and additional cases continuing to emerge throughout 2024 and 2025.
The persistence of the disease prompted East African countries to adopt a regional control strategy in Nairobi in December 2025 covering the period from 2026 to 2035.
The framework, known as the Strategic Framework for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Eastern Africa 2026–2035, seeks to strengthen regional coordination through harmonised surveillance systems, vaccination programmes, diagnostic capabilities, livestock movement controls, and cross-border collaboration.
Beyond East Africa, foot-and-mouth disease remains a major livestock health challenge across the continent.
Southern Africa has recorded a renewed wave of outbreaks in 2026, with data from the World Organisation for Animal Health showing that Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini were among the African countries reporting cases between January and June.
The launch of Uganda’s vaccination campaign is expected to strengthen national disease-control efforts while supporting wider regional initiatives aimed at reducing the economic impact of foot-and-mouth disease on Africa’s livestock sector.
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