Lira District Receives 25,000 Doses of Vaccine to Combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

By Hillary Opio Omara 

LIRA DISTRICT - Lira District has received 25,000 doses of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine as the government intensifies efforts to control and prevent the spread of the highly contagious livestock disease.

 The vaccines were handed over during a district-level sensitisation meeting held on Thursday,August 27,2026,at Lira District Production Hall,where farmers and livestock stakeholders were briefed on the vaccination exercise.

Dr.Robert Ojala,an official from the Ministry of Agriculture,Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and a veterinary specialist,said the government had allocated Lira District 25,000 doses to support the vaccination of livestock across the district.

He said the vaccination campaign will initially target more than 12,000 animals while vaccinating cow is at cost of UGX 8,000 and goat at cost of UGX 4,000.

Dr.Ojala urged farmers intending to have their animals vaccinated to pay the required vaccination fees directly through Housing Finance Bank,rather than handing money to individuals conducting the exercise.

 He warned farmers against giving cash to people claiming to be veterinary vaccinators, stressing that payments should be made through the designated bank to ensure transparency and accountability.

Dr.Ojala further explained that every farmer whose livestock is vaccinated will receive a vaccination certificate indicating the number of animals vaccinated.

 Dr Robert Ojala from the Ministry of Agriculture 

He said the certificates will be important when farmers move or sell their livestock, particularly as the government prepares to enforce regulations aimed at restricting the movement of unvaccinated animals. 

Meanwhile,Lira District Veterinary Officer Anthony Ogwal said veterinary teams are ready to begin the vaccination exercise across the district. 

Ogwal said the district,working with MAAIF, has started preparations to reach farmers in different areas and ensure that livestock are vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Antony ogwal Veterinary officer Lira District 

He explained that the nationwide vaccination campaign is part of government efforts to control and eventually eliminate Foot-and-Mouth Disease,which continues to threaten livestock production and farmers' livelihoods. 

Lira Resident District Commissioner Lilian Eyal also cautioned farmers against paying money directly to individuals carrying out the vaccination exercise. 

Eyal urged farmers to follow the official payment procedures and cooperate with veterinary teams to ensure the campaign is implemented successfully.

Rdc Lira district Lillan Eyel on the right with the DPC Lira District 

She said the government is investing resources to support livestock vaccination and called on farmers to take the exercise seriously by ensuring that their animals are vaccinated.

 The current FMD vaccination campaign across Uganda began in August 2026 and is expected to run until November 2026,with another vaccination phase planned for January and February 2027 as the government steps up efforts to contain the disease nationwide.