Ibanda district is not having good news at after there has been an Anthrax disease outbreak. This has been reported officially and confirmed by the Chief Administration Officer (CAO) Mr. Kweyamba Ruhemba.
In a letter he wrote to the Commissioner Animal Health Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Kweyamba gave guidelines on how this disease will be curbed and of which everyone in Ibanda must adhere to.
Background
The CAO says that, he has been getting cases of Anthrax disease in humans who handle meat from infected animals. He says that was back in November 2023 and it was in Keihangara subcounty in Ibanda district and 9 people were involved and they confessed to have interacted with a dead animal.
It is further informed that, early this month of January, one person from Mabonwa Parish in Rukiri subcounty tested positive to Anthrax disease and more 12 are being put under scrutiny after they also started showing signs of the disease.
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Putting this background together, the CAO has initiated strict measures that are a must follow by Ibanda people. And they go as follows;
There has been a month closure (quarantine) of slaughter activities and livestock movement in Ibanda Municipality and Ibanda South Constituency.
There will be strict registering of all meat handlers in the district (butchers) and they will be required to have a health certificate before they handle meat again.
Enforce the requirement by all cattle traders to have a cattle trader’s license issued by MAAIF in order to be allowed to buy and sell animals within the district
Carrying out ring vaccination of all suspected animal species in areas of Keihangara Sub County, Bisheshe Division, Rukiri Sub County and Kagongo Division and Continue with sensitization and surveillance activities using all the available media and personnel.
After the one month that is in place, the district authorities will have tracked the progress and issue a new statement or update.
