Uganda is set to address a longstanding challenge in its livestock sector with the establishment of its first-ever cold chain storage facility for animal vaccines. The new facility, currently under construction at the National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC) in Entebbe, promises to transform vaccine management and animal disease control across the country.
The facility, valued at UGX 2.5 billion, will have the capacity to store up to 80 million vaccine doses, a crucial step in preventing the waste of vaccines caused by poor storage infrastructure. For years, Uganda has faced the costly paradox of procuring large quantities of vaccines only for them to spoil due to inadequate cold chain storage facilities. This problem has led to preventable animal deaths, with diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) wreaking havoc on the livestock population, which includes millions of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, and poultry.
Lt. Col (Rtd.) Bright Rwamirama, Uganda’s Minister of State for Animal Industry, expressed frustration during the groundbreaking ceremony, stating that the country can no longer afford to let vaccines go to waste. He highlighted the importance of the new facility in safeguarding Uganda’s significant livestock population, which includes approximately 14.5 million cattle, 17.4 million goats, 4.4 million sheep, 7.1 million pigs, and over 57.8 million poultry. Rwamirama emphasized that the new facility must help avoid future outbreaks of diseases like FMD, with no excuse for failure once it is operational.
The development of the cold chain storage facility has been widely hailed as a critical step in addressing the inefficiencies in Uganda’s veterinary and livestock management systems. The Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama, commended the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries for pushing the project through Cabinet and Parliament, acknowledging the unsustainable financial losses that the country has incurred due to vaccine wastage. These losses have occurred despite the significant demand for vaccines in preventing animal diseases, particularly in rural areas where livestock are a vital source of income and sustenance.
The construction of the facility will not only improve vaccine storage but is also expected to enhance the overall health and productivity of Uganda’s livestock sector. By improving disease prevention and control, the government aims to reduce the financial losses caused by animal diseases and create a more resilient agricultural sector. Furthermore, the cold chain storage facility will ensure that vaccines can be delivered to remote areas more efficiently, reducing the logistical barriers that often hinder effective vaccination campaigns.
Maj. Gen. Kasura-Kyomukama stressed the urgency of the project, directing the Commissioner for Agricultural Infrastructure, Eng. Boniface Okanya, to ensure the timely completion of the facility. Okanya reassured the Ministry leadership that the project would be completed on schedule, citing the ministry’s growing internal engineering capacity as a key factor in meeting deadlines.
The cold chain storage facility represents a significant milestone in Uganda’s efforts to modernize its agriculture sector and enhance food security. By addressing the longstanding issue of vaccine wastage, Uganda is taking a crucial step toward improving the health of its livestock, reducing the burden of animal diseases, and strengthening its agricultural economy. Once completed, the facility will be a vital asset in Uganda’s ongoing efforts to protect and sustain its livestock resources for the future.
