The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in conjunction with Ministry of Health have declared the country is now free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or Bird Flu.
The outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was declared on 15th January 2017 and affected domestic poultry and wild birds in the districts of Wakiso, Kalangala and Masaka along the shores of Lake Victoria.
The outbreak negatively impacted on the country’s economy resulting from trade bans on exportation of poultry and poultry products to Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and death of poultry among others.
Concerted and coordinated efforts by a Multi-Sectoral National Task Force were put in place to control the outbreak which have led to the successful control of the disease.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has been carrying out active surveillance in all affected districts around the shores of Lake Victoria and Kalangala islands and laboratory samples collected from domestic poultry and wild birds have been confirmed negative since March 2017 to date.
Therefore, the country is hereby declared free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
The Government and Technical Teams in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries in Uganda together with their counterparts in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries in Kenya have been conducting surveillance and risk assessment in view of lifting the ban on trade in poultry and poultry products to Kenya.
The Government of Kenya has now agreed to partially lift the trade ban through compartments.
Compartments are certified and licenced firms/entities that have fulfilled the exporting conditions.
Recommendations for improvement for the other firms that do not yet comply have been compiled and the Ministry will work together with the poultry industry stakeholders to ensure these are fulfilled so that eventually there is total lifting of the ban on poultry and poultry products and trade resumes normally.
The public is advised to be vigilant and to report any cases of mysterious death of both domestic and wild birds to the District authorities and/or to the Ministry.