Monitoring Antimicrobials usage in Livestock Farming in Uganda: Research and Systems Project Launched
On Wednesday September 30th 2020, one of the over 500 multidisciplinary projects currently being funded by the Government of the Republic of Uganda through Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) was launched by Makerere University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. This project is titled: Developing a Monitoring System for Quantifying and Mapping Antimicrobials used in Livestock Farming Systems in Uganda (VAMS). The VAMS research and systems Project was launched at Makerere University College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). The event held at the college’s center for Biosecurity and Global Health gave an opportunity to over 50 physical attendees well social distanced observatory to the COVID-19 containment measures and over 20 attending virtually via zoom to engage discussing antimicrobial usage in livestock farming in Uganda. So that each adds to the pool of knowledge during the engagement, participants were drawn from different disciplines including; Veterinary Medicine, Revenue, Engineering, Public Health, Social Sciences among others.
The research project spearheaded by COVAB’s Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha, faculty at Department of Wild Life and Aquatic Animal Resources A envisages fully developing a monitoring system for quantifying and mapping antimicrobial usage in livestock farming systems in Uganda. Prof. Mugisha said while giving his remarks that him and the team have designed a real time system that will feature all latest developments in antimicrobial research only authenticated and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. This is the first of its kind in Uganda, he added.
Prof. Mugisha and his research team are closely working with several partners including; Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda Revenue Authority and National Drug Authority to move forth efforts addressing challenges related to antimicrobial usage in Uganda. Each of these partners pledged continued commitment to working with Makerere University for the benefit of all those in need.
While launching this project, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe acknowledged the efforts exhibited by several University faculty including Prof. Mugisha in developing research and innovations like never before in this COVID-19 situation at the Ivory Tower. He was grateful that regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and innovators at Makerere University have kept vibrant and working even harder to address community’s challenges. Prof. Nawangwe thanked the government of the Republic of Uganda for its continuous support and promised the country that it is going to get to a time where the University will be launching solution based innovations and disseminating or even translating research every week. ‘This indeed keeps all of us proud about our institution, the researchers and innovators therein’ he added.
See details about the Projects Here.
