Abstract
Organized veterinary services in Uganda were established in year 1908 and successfully controlled animal diseases nationally through a centralized chain of veterinary command. Such services were of public good, mandatory by regulations and also referred to as the “veterinary regulatory services”. However, from 1993; policy reforms were introduced coincidentally at the same time with a national animal health passive surveillance system. Despite reforms, continued losses in livestock were observed necessitating a longitudinal survey based on the above surveillance system. Study findings were to serve as an indicator of performance for the reforms as regards animal disease control. Overall aim of the study was to: Confirm the assumed increase of disease after reforms; identify predisposing factors; gauge their impact and make recommendations to improve service delivery. Results confirmed that: Local government veterinary personnel reduced by 90.61% after the first year of decentralization; national animal health report submissions reduced from average of 81% to only 47.06% with a correlation or association of negative (-) 27.3% albeit at p-value > 0.05. Further, correlation at p-value < 0.05 confirmed that: Contagious and other major animal disease cases increased by 46.1%; roundworm infestation in pigs increased by 69.4%; field animal vaccine availability decreased by (-) 64.3% with time and a positive correlation of 65.3% was confirmed between human deaths and the number of bites by suspected rabid animals. Regression confirmed that with other factors held constant; on average: 69.5% of all Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks in other areas of the country originated or depended on the same disease found in the cattle corridor while 42.7% human deaths from rabies was attributed to bites from suspected rabid animals. Conclusion was that: Increased animal disease prevalence was primarily attributed to the reform policies but confounded by other veterinary institution internal and external/shock factors. This requires further policy reforms and a review of the national animal health passive surveillance system by all stakeholders to be done through and implemented by an efficient quality management system which is: staff-management-client focused.
Highlights
IntroductionSince ; the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) whose title later changed to that of the Director Veterinary Services of the Protectorate for almost a century routinely used a centrally controlled chain of veterinary command for efficient compliance by stakeholders as regards animal disease control
Uganda’s national animal health passive surveillance system used in this study reported and monitored veterinary drug availability and their use in the field at extension level
A longitudinal survey method bringing on board the quantitative and descriptive aspects was used to statistically analyze data from the national animal health passive surveillance system collected continuously for 16 years from all the district of Uganda—with each district identified by name [54] & [55]
Summary
Since ; the CVO whose title later changed to that of the Director Veterinary Services of the Protectorate for almost a century routinely used a centrally controlled chain of veterinary command for efficient compliance by stakeholders as regards animal disease control This pre-reform stance ensured: prompt reporting of animal disease outbreaks from the field; immediate follow-up investigations and final diagnosis; carefully organized quarantine enforcement measures and prompt inoculations/vaccinations to suppress outbreaks of major diseases such as Rinderpest plague and Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia. Such consistent regulatory stance led to only slight losses in livestock by 1926 and even by 1941 during World War II period which was noted for its population displacement; the veterinary services facilitated livestock trade bringing economic benefits to all in the country. Despite the reforms; it was later observed that the country faced about 70% in non-compliance with the veterinary regulations and that it had an estimated loss of 86.3 Million US$ in the livestock sector annually attributed to disease [12]
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