Uganda dropped 2.4 billion shillings on bug spray for 78 districts battling tsetse flies that spread sleeping sickness to people and livestock disease called nagana. Agriculture Minister Bright Rwamirama announced the chemical handout while warning that Tanzania basically let the flies breed unchecked on their side of the border, which caused the pests to migrate into places like Ntungamo and areas around Lake Victoria.
The government bought 120,000 liters of deltamethrin insecticide heading to Ankole, Teso, Lango, and spots near Murchison Falls National Park. Officials say chronic sleeping sickness cases vanished over the past five years, but a couple of acute infections popped up near wildlife parks where animals serve as disease reservoirs.
Robert Wangoola from the trypanosomiasis control unit said farmers need to keep spraying their animals after government programs wrap up because stopping treatment just brings the flies roaring back. The ministry wants about 5 billion shillings yearly for five years to really crush the problem.
The government bought 120,000 liters of deltamethrin insecticide heading to Ankole, Teso, Lango, and spots near Murchison Falls National Park. Officials say chronic sleeping sickness cases vanished over the past five years, but a couple of acute infections popped up near wildlife parks where animals serve as disease reservoirs.
Robert Wangoola from the trypanosomiasis control unit said farmers need to keep spraying their animals after government programs wrap up because stopping treatment just brings the flies roaring back. The ministry wants about 5 billion shillings yearly for five years to really crush the problem.
