Golden Jubilee: 50 years of veterinary degree training at Makerere University

It was first established in Lyon, France in 1761, by Claude Bourgelat who, as an overachiever, opened a second one in Alfort, France just four years later (in 1765). This was the genesis of formal veterinary training institutions. In Uganda, it happened 161 years later (in 1922).

When - the later to be named - Makerere University (MAK) started as Uganda Technical College in 1922, veterinary science was one of the few courses. Just like in Bourgelat's veterinary training schools of the 1760s, the training in Uganda started humbly. It is reported that it started as an in-service training institution for the colonial government’s department of veterinary services. With the need for broader and higher-level skills, the training programmes progressively expanded to today’s rich five-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme covering a wide range of courses.

The first intake of BVM students in a university in Uganda happened in 1971, almost 50 years after the beginning of veterinary training in Uganda. This year, 2021, therefore, marks 50 years of BVM training in Makerere (Uganda). Before then, most East African BVM students took their training from Kabete in Kenya and were awarded degrees from the University of East Africa. A few went to the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. Universities in the three East African Community member countries then were strengthened strategically to complement each other in training the region’s workforce in various professional disciplines. University students moved freely across borders to take their respective professional courses. With time, individual member States progressively built capacity to conduct training in all professional disciplines relevant to their respective development agendas.

Fast forward. Uganda established the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and started admissions into the BVM programme in 1971, a year after the establishment of Makerere. The following eminent persons, among others, took a step of faith and enrolled in a new school as pioneer students of BVM training in Uganda: Dr Lonzy Ojok (Professor Emeritus, Makerere, former Board member, NEMA), Dr Margaret Saimo (Principal Investigator of the government-funded anti-tick vaccine project at Mak), Dr John Nuwagaba (Pastor and chairman of the Uganda Veterinary Board), Dr Nyeko Pen-Mogi (former Vice-Chancellor, Gulu University), Dr Jaxon Nakasala-Situma (RIP, sitting Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine when the Silver Jubilee was celebrated). Training progressed very well despite some yet to be fully completed facilities.

An estimated average of 45 veterinary graduates have been produced by Makerere every year since 1975, several research and innovation outputs generated and excellent service to the community through service-learning activities, partnerships and consultancy engagements. The veterinary graduates produced provide solutions in the areas of animal welfare, animal production, food security, food safety, public health and environmental health. The training curriculum is deeply rooted in the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Day 1 competency for veterinary graduates. This gives graduates of veterinary medicine from Makerere a firm foundation of competencies required to provide professional services in any country in the world. The malleability of veterinarians grants them the necessary ability to adjust to the unique technological, socio-cultural, language, legal and environmental systems in the country in question. It is not surprising therefore to find Makerere veterinary graduates working in various countries in many capacities ranging from 'core veterinary practice' to the more liberal research arena. As they excel in foreign lands, they should also excel back home despite the relatively less sophisticated technological support, low purchasing power of the community, some significantly disruptive policies and incoherent policy implementation processes! Makerere-trained veterinarians soldier on for God and our country.

This article was published in the New Vision Newspaper (online) of 8th December 2021. I am heavily indebted to them.

Why should the veterinary profession be regulated?

“Why do you collect registration and licensing fees from us when there are non-veterinarians everywhere in the country impersonating veterinarians and causing tremendous losses in the community and consequently bringing a bad image to a profession they do not belong to?” asked one registered and licensed veterinarian. The other added in quick succession, “So after I have registered and got my annual practice licence then what happens with the veterinarian who chooses not to register and/or get a practice licence?” These were voices of angered, frustrated and genuinely concerned patriotic veterinary professionals who respect the obligation to register and get licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Uganda and yet are suffering the pain of “competing” with non-professionals on one hand and non-compliant professionals on the other. Both these scenarios relate to regulation of the veterinary profession.

The scenarios point to the need to strengthen regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine in Uganda, including the use of modern technology. Veterinary professionals, just like other medical professionals, take the Hippocratic oath because they deal with life. Elements of the oath include ensuring the welfare of animals entrusted to their care, continuous enhancement of professional competences, protection of public and environmental health. Needless say, the non-veterinarians do not take this oath and neither do they understand its significance. It is not uncommon therefore that they impersonate veterinary professionals without due regard to the responsibilities defined in the elements of the veterinary Hippocratic oath. The poor unsuspecting client willingly subjects their animal to mismanagement, torture and often death in the hands of the quack and moreover pays such a law breaker handsomely in addition. The animal may die soon thereafter or later through escalation of the disease or of complications associated with inappropriate medications or quantities of them administered to it.

The welfare of an animal is very central in determining whether it performs its role in meeting human needs or not. It is important therefore that the laws of the land should guard against individuals who would violate the animal’s welfare and by so doing cause losses to the owner of the animal. The Veterinary Surgeon’s Act Cap 277 empowers the Uganda Veterinary Board to regulate the practice of veterinary medicine in Uganda. Through execution of their functions, they protect the interests of the animals, the animal owner and the veterinary professional.

The veterinary profession has, as a requirement enshrined in the regulatory guidelines, the need for adherence to a code of conduct that defines the culture of professionalism and general social etiquette. Besides contributing to producing a responsible member of society, this regulation also protects and raises the image of the noble profession. A properly regulated veterinary profession leads to the improvement of quality of services and animal products in the country. Additionally, appropriate regulation promotes growth of veterinary practices and also utilisation of products from industry thus expanding space for employment and taxation. It is also obvious that the regulatory body influences the quality of training and by so doing keeps the local institutions at par with global standards thus producing professionals with sufficient competence to provide solutions to real world challenges. This in turn preserves the image, integrity and reputation of the training institution and ultimately that of the nation.

It is important at this stage to point out that regulation of the veterinary profession cannot be accomplished without deliberate input from government, veterinary professionals themselves, enforcement officers, animal owners and the public. Each has its unique role ranging from sufficient funding of the regulator by government to enable it execute its functions; vigilance of the public in reporting quacks and unethical veterinary practitioners; police for supporting the regulator in enforcing the law; the veterinary professional by meeting their legal obligations, religious adherence to ethical code of conduct and vigilance in reporting quacks. Additionally, it is the animal owners’ right to seek from anybody intending to offer or offering them animal health services not only their full identity but evidence that they are a licensed professional. Unique identification documents will be designed for this purpose. Should such a person fail to provide convincing evidence or refuse to cooperate, the owner of the animal should take note and report to the regulator for advice and further action. It is envisaged further that within the next few months, it will be possible for anybody anywhere in the country to be able to establish the true identity of a registered and licensed veterinary professional in Uganda with support of technology and the government gazette. Technology will also make it possible for the animal owner to locate the nearest registered and licenced veterinary professional. This way, the two questions at the opening of this article will be satisfactorily answered. Every Ugandan has a role in ensuring the provision of quality veterinary services. May we execute them conscientiously.

For God and my country.

This article was part of the set published in Kampala dailies of 27 April 2019 in commemoration of World Veterinary Day 2019.

World Veterinary Day 2018

BETTER ANIMAL WELFARE INCREASES INCOME AND PRIDE TO THE NATION

“The greatness of a nation - and its moral progress - can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. This statement was made by Mahatma Gandhi in relation to the welfare of animals. Animal welfare, the state of fitness and happiness of an animal, is a very central factor in its enhanced production, optimal performance and subsequently, satisfaction of the animal owner. It is therefore important that humans, who benefit from animals variously do conscientiously address matters of their welfare. Animals benefit humans as source of food; source of income; source of ornaments and trophies; draft power; source of recreation and entertainment; provision of security; symbols of social capital; subjects for drug development research; fulfilling cultural obligations; ecosystem balance, among others. Despite all these benefits humans liberally harness from animals, some of them are still cruel to animals. This necessitated the creation of animal welfare-related laws by all countries to guide and enforce good animal welfare practices. In Uganda, it is “The Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Act” Cap 39 of 1957! It is quite an old one whose penalties are non-deterrent. This probably contributes to fueling the cruelty currently meted on animals in Uganda.

There are numerous examples of practices that are regarded as being cruel to animals in Uganda. Examples include, the manner of transportation and handling of animals in transit; overworked and sometimes tortured draft animals such as oxen and donkeys; beating of animals; unnecessary and inappropriate confinement and/or isolation; delayed diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases; animals deprived of sufficient well-balanced nutrition; roadside sale of animals; roaming animals poisoned, beaten or run over by vehicles; inhumane slaughter of animals. While some of these bad practices happen in the public domain, it is suspected that lots of acts of cruelty, including untold heinous and shameful acts happen behind doors and behind wall fences. Not too long ago, on two occasions, innocent piglets were painted and dumped in the packing area of the Parliament of Uganda. As if the manner in which they were tied, transported and flung on a hard surface were not bad enough to their welfare, the piglets further suffered in the hands of security officers. The latter who were supposed to save the piglets from suffering, instead added more by dragging them on the tarmac and administering militant kicks on them! These and other kinds of cruel acts, wherever they occur, affect the animal’s performance and the ultimate loser is the owner of the animal and the nation (economy).

Going by Gandhi’s words, what kind of nation are we? The Bible (Proverbs 12:10) adds, “Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs”. So, judging by the way we treat our animals, do we choose to be a nation whose greatness is questioned and moreover populated by wicked people? Could we, Ugandans, please rise and fight the practices that steal the animal’s happiness and fitness; erodes the farmers’ and subsequently the country’s wealth – through reduced production and poor quality animal products? Fortunately, this loss is preventable. Veterinary professionals are full-time key partners in the efforts to enhance animal performance and the consequent income thereof. There should be no wonder therefore that animal welfare is a key element in the veterinary profession Hippocratic Oath in all countries. They cannot do it alone though.

So as we celebrate the World Veterinary Day 2018, let us use it to remind ourselves of the significant role animals – in a good state of welfare - play in our livelihoods and in the national economy. In this respect, we also ought to recognize the central role and position of veterinary professionals in the patriotic efforts of generating and protecting national wealth. Let’s make Uganda a great nation. Happy celebrations.

For God and my country.

Rabies kills but can be controlled

"As we talk now, we have one classical case of rabies (in the ward). Unfortunately, we cannot save the life of this young lady at this stage" said a health worker from a health unit in Kotido on June 4, 2015. This statement has nothing to do with the competence of the professionals but all to do with the nature of the disease and its prevention measures. The health worker was briefing a multidisciplinary and multinational team of professionals (veterinary and biomedical laboratory) from Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda and the United States of America. They were on a study trip in Karamoja, among other places, to understand animal production systems, animal diseases, zoonoses (diseases that affect both humans and animals) and their impact on community livelihoods.

Rabies, a viral disease that affects both animals and humans, is a killer disease that has unfortunately received insufficient attention globally. It reportedly kills up to 55,000 humans every year (one person every ten minutes) in Africa and Asia alone where 95% of the cases occur! Uganda contributes to this statistic although we believe that due to poor reporting, misdiagnosis and other challenges, the entire magnitude of the burden is not documented.

Rabies is largely transmitted to humans through dog bites and kills mainly children in the rural areas of the country due to various reasons. Children tend to interact with the dogs more closely than adults and are also prone to attack due to their naivety and failure to flee quickly from dangerous dogs. Rabies is sadly 100% fatal when clinical signs show - the disease is irreversible by any known human intervention once clinical signs of the disease show. Usually at this stage the virus has found its way to the brain initially entering through the nerves at the bite wound. However, if a bitten person accesses post-exposure treatment soon after being bitten, the virus is arrested before it advances far from the point of entry hence significantly increasing the chances of survival.

In Kotido, up to twenty (20) dog bite cases have been reportedly seen in one day! This is alarming but the consolation is that not all dogs that bite humans are rabid. The good news about this killer disease is that it is controllable through a multifaceted intervention approaches: vaccination of dogs and cats, population control of stray dogs and cats, and community education. A responsible member of the community should therefore contact their area veterinarian for guidance on when to vaccinate theirs and other dogs in the community. All humans at risk should also be vaccinated and given boosters regularly e.g. veterinary professionals; animal handlers in security organisations, zoos, animal clinics and veterinary and animal science students.

Community members should also report any animals behaving unusually to the nearest animal health worker for checking and follow-up. When bitten by a suspected rabid animal or indeed by any dog or cat, one is advised to get as much information as possible about the animal and its vaccination record and volunteer it to the authorities or animal and human health workers. They should also clean the wound with clean water and soap or antiseptic besides other first aid measures and immediately report to the nearest health unit for appropriate medical attention. Obtaining animal vaccination record is important for guiding the medical worker's choice of treatment protocol so as to save the life of a dog bite victim. Such information is also useful to support the veterinarian’s follow-up protocol for the dog in question.

The embarrassing thing about Rabies is that it can be controlled and yet it still ranks high on the list of globally neglected killer zoonotic diseases! It is known that controlling it at the animal level eliminates cases in humans.

This article was published in the New Vision Newspaper of 8th July 2015.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR ENHANCED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION: LESSONS FROM KARAMOJA

"The life of the Karimojong depend on animals. If their animals die, they will also die!". This statement was made by Mr. John Lorot, the Chairman L.C.5 Nakapiripirit District while stressing a point on the need to prioritise and strengthen animal disease control in the sub-region. This was during a broad stakeholder consultation meeting, the first one of its kind that brought Karamoja district leaders at various levels (CAOs, RDCs, Chairmen); Members of Parliament, officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM); District Veterinary Officers; The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; the Minister of State for Animal Industry and other officials from their ministry; FAO; NGOs notably Dan Church Aid and C&D; Makerere University Vet School and the Uganda Veterinary Association.

I have never seen such a meeting for any region of this country in which central and local government leaders, NGOs, legislators and technical experts sit in one room and soberly yet candidly discuss the direction of livestock farming in the region. Moreover they left with a common position on broad strategies some of which included: improvement of production through breed improvement; appropriate choice of agricultural priorities for the region, enhancing security of stock; community education on zoonotic diseases and methods of their control; enhanced livestock disease surveillance and control; involvement of all levels of stakeholders in the implementation of the electronic branding process; the need to improve numbers of veterinary professionals in the region, among others.

This meeting was organized by C&D within the Dan Church Aid (DCA)-led consortium with ECHO funds. This consortium works on, among others, livestock-related issues in the Karamoja sub-region. The leadership of Dan Church Aid is commendable. The consortium has, over the years, convened quarterly meetings in Moroto in Karamoja to plan livestock production and livestock health. The difference between those meetings and the Karamoja National Stakeholders meeting which was held on 24 September 2012 at Serena Lake Victoria Hotel in Kajansi is that the Moroto meetings did not involve Members of Parliament and Ministers (but all the other categories participated).

The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Hon. Col. (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, could not hide his excitement about the Karamoja leaders' wish for breed improvement and promised his ministry's commitment to provide all the support possible for this to happen.

While this initiative is excellent, it could still be improved by considering the following:

• For purposes of sustainability, the district leaders and their technical teams should get themselves in the driving seat of this initiative, only getting the much needed initial support from the central government and NGOs.
• There must be active involvement of kraal-level leaders in these joint activities as this also helps with buy-in of new initiatives, ownership of projects/programmes and importantly sustainability of development efforts.

Because of its benefits, other regions ought to emulate this effort that will definitely yield positive results. The OPM could initially implement/pilot this through offices of its various State Ministers.

The benefits of this wider stakeholder involvement include but are not limited to the following: prompt information sharing; provides opportunity for joint envisioning, goal setting, planning and implementation of development projects; encourages accountability and transparency; builds trust among stakeholders and eliminates unproductive conflicts among stakeholders.

With adoption and consistent implementation of the right strategies, the vision of Karamoja becoming a big source of high quality animals and high value animal products for the country and regional markets will surely come to pass. I think Henry Ford's words provide useful guidance in this situation: "Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success". Kudos to the Karamoja leaders (political, technical and development partners) for this initiative but if it is to achieve some success continuing to work together will be key. Ayakau kapei erai ngikup (unity is strength).

(A very slightly modified version of this article was published in the New Vision Newspaper of 7th May 2013)

Two terms of service to the Veterinary Fraternity

I thank them heartily. They being the larger portion of the veterinary fraternity in Uganda, members of the veterinary profession's umbrella body in Uganda - Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA). It was on Friday 5th December 2008 that they first put trust in me and my team to lead them. They renewed the mandate on Friday 10th December 2010 for two years. That made it two terms for me in office as President Uganda Veterinary Association.

After a period of four straight years of faithful and dedicated service as some of my colleagues called it, last week I handed over the mantle of UVA leadership to one of my colleagues, Dr. Dominic Venture Lali Mundrugo-ogo. To work with him is a team that I know all too well so I rest assured that progress is all that will happen for the UVA; a process I prefer to refer to as "moving from glory to glory". What this means is that my team and I were able to move this organisation through positive strides and with the new team, the organisation should be able to take several other strides in the right direction.

The four years I did this voluntary work have been years of unlimited exposure, networking, servant leadership, great sacrifice, juggling strategy & operations, mentoring & empowering, innovations, venturing into unknowns, fighting oppression, team building & management, managing criticism, arbitration & conflict resolution, initiating & refining strategies, perfecting boardroom etiquette, productive negotiation, etc. All these could be summed up as a period of tremendous learning. I am definitely much wiser. I should be able to share the key areas of learning either in a series on this blog or maybe in a book. May God help me and may He bless Uganda Veterinary Association, its entire membership and the global vet fraternity.

Saving for economic empowerment

Today, 28th July 2012 goes in the history books as the day the Veterinary Wealth Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Vet Wealth SACCO) held its first Annual General Meeting and constituted its first Board and Supervisory Committee. The meeting was held at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity in Makerere University. It is a development for which I greatly thank God for letting me and several colleagues be part of from inception through registration to now full composition of the governing structures.

This SACCO is one step of demonstrating that veterinarians in Uganda have embraced the principle of harnessing synergies and are willing to use it to improve their economic position and capacity of offering services and support to the community.

Long live Vet Wealth SACCO.

Some 10 points for the professionals to consider about the East African Community Common Market Protocol

One of the milestones on the road to the East African Community (EAC) federation is the Common Market Protocol (CMP) which came into force in July 2010. Its spirit, I believe is to make trade operations for both goods and services easier, faster and better across members' borders.

Based on my ('little') understanding of the CMP, I deduce from it some implications for a professional service provider. I will not delve into details of the CMP and will also steer clear of its components that deal with free movement of goods and instead concentrate on free movement of professionals (persons who deliver professional services).

1. Professionals should take it upon themselves to clearly define who a professional is and which organisations qualify to be referred to as professional bodies (association or regulatory) with reference to their respective professions. This does not only contribute towards limiting and subsequently eliminating quacks thereby protecting the consumer and profession but also helps other players correctly identify which bodies to work with in regard to a given profession.

   In simple terms, a professional should be one who has acquired and demonstrates applied skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours (competence and competency) obtained through formal professional training to the benefit of his/her clients and holds certification to this effect from an accredited recognised training institution. In a few instances they even take an oath - Hippocratic oath in the medical/veterinary field - but in all cases must be registered by the profession's regulatory authority, a legal and professional requirement to practice in a given jurisdiction. At the earliest possible opportunity professionals should candidly and without fear emphasize the fact that business bodies/associations are not necessarily professional bodies/associations.

2. Quality assurance will be a vital area of concern in movement of professionals (services). The professional service provider must be qualified to offer the demanded service and must offer the optimal or the best service and must do it within the law of the country where the service is offered. This therefore calls for professional regulatory authorities and their associated enforcement units to ensure that no consumer is lured into consuming 'fake' or inferior services ('imported' from a member state). I love to provocatively refer to 'fake service' as 'counterfeit' to the amusement of many who are used to the current common definition of 'counterfeit' being restricted to goods. The alternative and more common word in services is "quack" but this may not immediately sound as catchy and terrifying as the word 'counterfeit' hence the perceived misuse of the word. A person who labels themselves a professional when they are not and yet tricks consumers into requesting for and consuming his fake services (carefully disguised as the true service) is, to me, offering a 'counterfeit service'. Spare me the debate on semantics and instead follow the drift.

   A loud warning must be sounded as well to some misguided professionals who seem to have put greed for money ahead of professionalism thereby not religiously observing professional ethics as defined by professional practice guidelines. Thanks to competition; these acts will hopefully soon be exposed and the consumers will get enlightened and liberated from this "hostility".

3. Every professional should participate actively through their professional associations and regulatory bodies in the negotiation of and implementation of the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) that should define guidelines that facilitate and enable registration of professionals and professional practices across borders of the five member countries. The MRAs should especially define bounds but ensuring that it does not cause unnecessary encumbrances. The interest here is to make it easier and yet within professional and legal bounds for an EAC national/citizen to freely move and practice in a member state. Professionals should not delegate the role of designing and negotiating MRAs to parties that do not effectively represent their professional interests. In my opinion, this a shared role between professional associations and professional regulatory authorities. They should also take interest, in among others, immigration requirements associated with movement of persons so as to contribute towards designing processes that facilitate efficiency of the operations.

4. While professionals should appreciate their guidance, they should resist the temptation of being ‘crowded out’ in decision-making fora by Government officials, trade and business specialists (not of their professional leaning) who can derail professional focus on issues related to the CMP. Professionals should therefore not worry about holding minority opinion in such fora for as long as that represents the position and practice in their profession - preferring "professional correctness" over "political correctness" during such meetings. Be bold and loud even if you are a lone voice; stand for your profession without shame; nobody else cares about it except you.

5. Professionals should work together with their respective mother Government Ministries and the Ministries responsible for the East African Community affairs in their respective countries to provide a clear roadmap complete with realistic targets and demand that the ministries work towards it.

6. The free movement of professionals will bring with it competition which will largely be based on professional performance hence it calls for a high level of professionalism. This implies that if any professional does not keep themselves polished, they will soon be out of service/business because the consumers' "catchment area" and choices will expand. One example is that should any professional take Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes lightly, their progressive irrelevance and incompetence will soon be exposed to their detriment. The majority of professions in the member countries now renew registration based on credit points accumulated from CPDs over a defined period of time. A professional should therefore raise their bar. Are you acceptable in the neighboring country? Is it possible that a colleague from a neighboring country will be preferred to you in your own backyard?

7. A loud warning must be sounded as well to some misguided professionals who seem to have put greed for money ahead of professionalism thereby not religiously observing professional ethics. Thanks to competition; these acts will soon be exposed and the consumers will get enlightened and liberated from this "hostility".

8. It is important for professionals to take interest in understanding their respective profession's regulatory law(s) in the partner states not just to ensure they operate within the law but also for them to identify and propose areas of harmonization.

9. Furthermore, the professional should acquaint themselves with the prevailing trade laws (for both goods and services) in the various EAC member countries.

10. Professionals should consider establishing smart partnerships with their counterparts in the EAC member states to facilitate movement of service even without physical movement of the professional in some cases.

The CMP brings with it opportunities which can only be effectively harnessed by a prepared professional. Long live EAC, long live professionals, long live consumers of professional services.

Click here to download a pdf version of the EAC CMP.

This piece was sent to some media houses in the region but none has so far found it worth an inch of space in their pages. Thanks to personal blogs.

World Veterinary Day celebrations in Uganda

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries (MAAIF) together with Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) coordinated the efforts of various partners in planning and managing activities of the 'Vet Week' in Uganda which culminated into the World Veterinary Day celebrations in Rushere town in Kiruhura district today. The celebration was attended by a government minister, Members of Parliament, MAAIF Officials, UVA Executive, district leaders, farmers, veterinarians, regulators of the drug industry, NGO representatives, pharmaceutical suppliers, students from veterinary and animal production training institutions and members of the public.

The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama, presided over the function which was also blessed by, among other dignitaries, the area Member of Parliament, Hon. Fred Mwesigye - both of them are commercial dairy and beef cattle farmers. Coincidentally, they are both retired army officers belonging to the same political party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Teach a man to 'grow fish'

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Chinese proverb.

Lifetime? Maybe not anymore. I guess we now have to teach a man to create a 'lake' then 'grow fish' in it and hopefully be able to feed him for a lifetime.

Charles Onyango-Obbo seems to suggest so: READ

What do you think? Make a comment and let us know.

UNDERSTANDING MARKET DEMANDS FOR ANIMAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

Every market dictates terms be it a commodity or a service market. Producers and
suppliers of animals and animal products are not exempt from ʻdancing to the tunesʼ
dictated either by the controllers (regulators) of the market or the consumers(buyers). It is imperative therefore that the players in the market understand the rules of the game and also adhere to some basic requirements in order to remain relevant in the competitive market.

Commercial animal farmers ought therefore to embrace and put into practice some of the following principles irrespective of the species of animals or type of animal products they trade in whether locally or in foreign markets: maintaining a reliable and timely supply; providing safe and high quality products that meet market needs and regulatory standards; and appropriately pricing their supplies, among others.

As a first year student in the Makerere University Veterinary School in the early 90s, one of my Professors, in his attempt to illustrate the size of the international market (foreign exchange potential) for our animals and animal products and the urgency for the players in the animal sector to enhance production of animals and animals products, narrated to us one of his experiences as a then highly placed government official in the Ministry of Animal Industry, Game and Fisheries (how we wish it be re-instated) in the 1970s. While on one of his visits to the Middle East, he negotiated a ʻjuicyʼ deal that would make our goat and sheep farmers smile all the way to the bank. When the first order came, we (Uganda) supplied. The clients were happy and a few weeks later placed an order for a regular supply. The Professor was humbled when it dawned on him that if we supplied as per the order, the goat and sheep stock in the country would be depleted in less than 6 months! Would anybody sign that contract?

While we probably cannot meet that demand yet, we are told a country in the horn of
Africa supplies the Middle East with goats and sheep and they attempt to do it timely and in accordance with demand waves in that region. Could they have mastered the principle of reliable and timely supply? Any lessons for Uganda (farmers, government, animal health and production professionals)?

Reliability and timely supply will only work if one supplies what the market accepts. It is sad to say that most of our animals and animal products cannot access certain markets due to non-tariff barriers (NTBs), the majority of them being failure to meet safety standards prescribed by regulators. We therefore have to demolish these barriers so as to access the lucrative foreign markets and boost foreign currency inflows.

Recognising the significant role and necessity of the veterinary profession in
contributing to the improved production of ʻcleanʼ animals and animals products for the global market, and thereby overcoming the NTBs and establishing fair play, the UN World Organisation for Animal Health declared veterinary services a ʻpublic goodʼ. Unfortunately, in Uganda, some districts boast of having one or even no veterinary professional (Public Service) and yet hope to be significant players in this highly competitive market laden with barriers. Government should revisit its agricultural priorities especially the amount of resources (human, funding, equipment) accorded to the animal sector as it harnesses the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards the common mission of increasing animal protein, meeting local food security demands and foreign income earnings from animals and animal products. Sow the right seeds in right amounts on the right ground and your harvest will be big.

Rinderpest eradicated from the face of the earth

In May 2008, the World Organisation for Animal Health declared Uganda free of rinderpest, the last case having been seen in 1994 in Moroto district. For more information follow this link.

Biosecurity on the farm: some basics for the farmer

Thanks to The New Vision Newspaper in Uganda for their innovation that greatly supports farmers with useful information for wealth creation through agriculture. They call the weekly pullout 'Harvest Money'. They published one of my humble contributions on farm biosecurity in their second issue on 16 August 2010. Find it here.

I look forward to writing more and much more often.

World Veterinary Day 2009

The World Veterinary Day was instigated in 2000 and has been observed annually on the last Saturday of April. In Uganda, we celebrated it for the first time last year. This year's celebration was much better than last year's.

In Uganda we have decided to dedicate a whole week, dubbed 'The Vet Week', to activities organised in various parts of the country. These activities culminate into the World Vet Day.

Below are highlights of some of the activities we had in The Vet Week:

• Press conference.
  
• Cattle vaccination against CBPP.
  
• Symposium - seminars, demonstrations and discussions.
  
• A school programme.
  
• Mass treatment of animals in a community recovering from the effects of more than 20 years of war.
  
• Ministerial statement on World Veterinary Day.
  
• TV Talk Show on national television.
  
• Grand celebration graced by a government Minister. Participants included local leaders, NGOs, veterinarians, farmers, veterinary students, school children and the public. After the ceremony, the farmers and veterinarians were hosted to lunch by the Uganda Veterinary Association with support from SPRING project, an NGO based in Northern Uganda. Traditional dancers entertained guests at the ceremony grounds.

In order to run all these activities successfully, we had to harness synergies from various veterinary-related stakeholders to whom I am personally grateful.

Watch this space for further details.

I TAKE IT HEAD-ON

I offered myself; I asked for it and on 5th December 2008, the members of the Uganda Veterinary Association meeting in Primrose Hall, Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala responded.

I offered to serve as President Uganda Veterinary Association 2008-2010. The members spoke loud and clear by giving me the majority of votes cast. The humble strategies I had shared with them are found in another blog.

I do take the challenge head-on and pledge maximum attention and efforts to the Veterinary profession causes. So help me God.

World Rabies Day 8 September 2007

Saturday 8 September 2007 is World Rabies day. Worldwide, veterinarians will do something to commemorate the day. One of the things we, veterinarians, should put significant efforts in is to educate the public about the disease. It is preventable, it kills (at some stage of the disease, its effects cannot be reversed - ends in fatality), it affects both man and animals (warm-blooded animals). The least recognised public health role of the veterinarians should therefore stand out prominently.

I share with you (below) an excerpt of a press release from Uganda Veterinary Association:

"Rabies is a preventable viral disease of warm-blooded animals often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The Rabies virus infects the central nervous system causing encephalopathy and ultimately death. It is reported that 55,000 people, mostly in Africa and Asia, die from rabies every year – a rate of one person every ten minutes!

The Uganda Veterinary Association, in collaboration with the Uganda Society for Protection and Care of Animals (USPCA); the Uganda Small Animal Practitioners Association (USAPA); the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF); the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Kampala City Council (KCC) will commemorate the World Rabies day by carrying out community outreach in Rubaga Division.

The major activities will be:
1. Vaccination of dogs and cats against Rabies.
2. Creation of awareness of the dangers and need to control Rabies in the
community.
3. Treatment of dogs and cats against endoparasites (worms).
4. Treatment of dogs and cats against ectoparasites (ticks, mange, fleas)."

As many vets as possible together with some vet students will engage in this community activity. Some cars in Kampala are already carrying the stickers announcing the World Rabies day. I have and will be part of the plan and execution of the programme. I am looking forward to it. I will be more than glad to write a bit about our experiences.

May God open the ears / eyes of the public so that they take heed of the call to prevent this killer disease, Rabies.

I have two other events running on Saturday 8 September 2007: The ethnic community I belong to will be giving thanks to God for His goodness in an interdenominational service, and the Ugandan national football (soccer) team play the Niger team. Uganda must win with a 'big' margin to have hopes of qualifying for the Africa Nations cup in Ghana 2008.

My day's plan: Participate in the community outreach programme then join others in thanking God and thereafter watch the Uganda Cranes 'do their thing' against Niger. I believe that all will be well.