By KT Reporter
The National Drug Authority (NDA) has called on owners of private veterinary vaccine cold chain facilities to comply with national standards for vaccine storage and handling. An assessment recently conducted by the Authority revealed widespread non-compliance, with significant gaps in maintaining the cold chain for animal vaccines. NDA warned that such lapses pose serious risks to animal health.
The cold chain is a system designed to keep temperature-sensitive products, such as vaccines, within recommended temperature ranges from manufacture to use. NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri said the assessment found numerous shortcomings, including poor infrastructure, inadequate cold storage equipment, the use of domestic instead of pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators, irregular temperature monitoring, frequent power outages without reliable backup, and insufficient staff training.
Rwamwiri noted that such weaknesses not only lead to vaccine spoilage and reduced efficacy but also increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks among animals, erode confidence in veterinary services, and impose financial burdens on livestock owners and service providers. “Like human vaccines, animal vaccines require consistent refrigeration to remain effective. Any interruption—whether during storage, transport, or due to power failures—can compromise vaccine potency and render vaccination programs ineffective,” he said.
He emphasized that all veterinary vaccine handlers should use pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators that are functional, calibrated, and regularly serviced; install and use calibrated temperature monitoring devices; and maintain accurate daily records. He further urged the adoption of reliable backup power systems such as solar, generators, or batteries, and stressed that expired vaccines must be safely disposed of in line with national pharmaceutical waste guidelines.
According to the NDA, about 1.8 million doses of animal vaccines were recently impounded and destroyed after being found improperly stored across the country. Uganda is currently working to strengthen its animal health systems, with a focus on safeguarding the vaccine cold chain to ensure effective storage, protect animal health, secure livelihoods, boost food security, and support economic resilience.
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