In memory of Lango College: A story of Beckie and Felix

In memory of Lango College: A story of Beckie and Felix

Lango College is an all boys O and A level boarding secondary school that has produced some of the most dynamic men serving in different fields of work across the globe. The academic performance went down over the past years but Lango College Old Students Association -LACOSA is determined to take the college back to its former glory.

"When you're drowning you don't think, 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would notice I'm drowning and come and rescue me.' You just scream." John Lennon.

LACOSA held its last meeting on 20th April 2019 at the college premise. The association needs more old students joining hands like a family to revive the reign of our school. 

Written by Abet Tonny

Jim Butcher is an American legend who once had this to say, "When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching -they are your family."

A man had a very beautiful wife who bore him three gorgeous daughters -Jane, Anne and Rebecca alias Beckie. He gets the daughters well educated and all of them got employed. Two of the daughters went to work abroad in England yet one named Beckie chose to remain and work home in Uganda. Beckie loved her father deeply. She wanted to be near him always, for their father battled with high blood pressure and Beckie always wanted to be around to help. Jane and Anne had decided to study accounting and law respectively but Beckie had decided to study medicine so she could best take care of their father. Beckie's father loved Beckie so much. To Beckie's father, Beckie was the only button functional on his iphone, more so when Cathie his wife lost it to heart attack a few months ago. Beckie was the single reason her father could afford a hearty smile, feel true sense of love and care.

Beckie's father had no son. To Jane and Anne, Beckie had locked herself with some old man who already enjoyed life enough and ripe to die. They also wondered whether Beckie had normal brain cells of humans. But to Beckie, life was about something else. To her, life was about how much care we give to those who love and stand with us. To Beckie, her father had stood by her side when she decided to do sciences, a line that all her sisters had discouraged. Her sisters had seen sciences as grazing ground for men, not for women with upright sense. Beckie thus saw her father as one hero who deserved special appreciation, care and love.

Beckie studied in St. Katherine S.S in Lira. Since childhood she had loved one handsome boy, Felix from Lango College. Beckie had seen this Lango College boy in a debate competition held in Dr. Obote College. She had loved everything about this boy -Felix. In two minutes of Felix outstanding submission on the debate floor, Beckie had wished she lived with Felix forever and after. Felix was this HD boy, I mean honest and determined young man.

Soon, as Beckie grew up to become a prominent Doctor, Felix had finally grown to be a very influential businessman and young politician. It was during that warm Easter season of 1982, Beckie's father was overjoyed.  Beckie was introducing home the man of her dream -Felix. The marriage feast was mega. Beckie's father, Felix was a very lucky man and on the other side of his pair glasses, Beckie had landed such a great catch, a very nice husband named Felix.
Beckie and Felix got married and Beckie still supported her father closely. Beckie and Felix grew richer and richer. They helped so many orphans and needy and people celebrated them widely. Beckie and Felix travelled the world and lived happy forever and after.

Previously during a strike 

One day, Felix was sipping life around Aaro beach in Entebbe. The man was revisiting his past. Among many things he remembered was the usual one, how Beckie had stood by his side. How Beckie always cared for her father and how she actively engaged in the affairs of the old girls association of St. Katherine. Some of them were rodiculous to him but Felix picked one thing. Felix decided to pay a visit to Lango College and behold there were only 300 students in the entire school according to record from the headmaster. Brown House, his former dometory had one side already collapsed, as if this was not enough, every student looked wild like vipers and the teachers stamped the impression with their fear-imposing metal-like rudeness. "Damn this!" Felix yelled moving around Cohen house. Everything was disorganised with broken glasses everwhere.His school had dropped so low in all areas including academic performance. He knew he could be part of the solution. Lango College had raised Felix and the satisfying memory of old days studying in this prestigious college was moving him to act. Felix decided to rekindle the love for his former school, he joined the old students association and together they are bringing in a lot of change.

Well, we all have different stories, but just like Felix, we can bring back our best school, Lango College to its heroic position. Let's join hands!

Bedbug 2019: All you need to know to stay safe

BEDBUG 2019

Everything you need to know about Control and Prevention

Written by Abet Tonny

With insatiable appetite for human blood, bedbugs are some of the most gluttonous and burdening insects to human settlements in the 21st century. A number of high profile research studies have demonstrated that bedbugs do not just bite and suck blood, bedbugs actually have capability of transmitting disease causing micro-organisms and viruses to man. Over 40 disease causing micro-organisms have been detected in bedbugs so far. These fresh discoveries continue to impose a lot of fear to families as bedbug explosion sweeps across the globe. Bedbugs have developed 15% thicker skin explaining why their resistance to insecticide sprays have more than trippled in the last 100 years. Most of the insecticides like synthetic pyrethroid and organophosphates in the consumer market have become very ineffective in killing bedbugs.

Fortunately, scientists have been fighting tooth and nail to hack the bedbug game and bring these bugs under control.

The State Univetsity of New York alias Stony Brook University has a solution. The experts developed microfibre trap, a nanotechnology that will see bedbugs controlled with no damage to our health and the environment unlike the current control methods using toxic pesticides.

Another groundbreaking innovation is from Penn State University, Aprehend is the way to go. A fungus that has been used for long in agriculture has proven very effective in bedbug control. McCandless is the CEO of Conidio Tec, a firm disseminating this Aprehend technology. "The product is sprayed in a band along box-springs, baseboards, headboards and other places where bedbugs walk. As bedbugs cross the band, the spores stick to them — “like grains of sand on wet feet” — and are carried back to the insects' hiding places, known as harborages.The spores kill bedbugs within four to 10 days following contact with a treated surface," says McCandless.

Bedbug remains one of the most irritating bugs humans ever faced, ravaging cities and rural commuities alike. Bedbug infestation has been mentioned in all continents of the world except Antarctica.Bedbug neither respects your tidiness nor salary scale. Man has endured chronic bedbug bites for centuries. Bedbugs have been robbing humans of their psycho-social well being since our great grandfathers were living in caves. People having bedbugs in their homes present with wide shades of psychological disorders. Bedbug infestation also pose a lot of financial drain to victims in control fights.

This is an expertise post. It covers all possible questions one can ask about bedbug. For the last 5 years, I have been studying dynamics of bedbug control and offering pest control services to wide range of people.

Below is the collection. 

1. How do I know I have bedbug in my room?

2. How do I tell it's bedbug bite?

3. Where do bedbugs love to hide most?

4. Do bedbugs transmit some diseases?

5. Where do bedbugs come from?

6. Are there bedbugs in other countries of the world?

7. Why is it so hard to get rid of bedbug?

8. How did people in the past control bedbugs?

9.Best methods to control bedbugs 2019?

10. What are some of the common but wrong ways people use to control bedbugs?

11. Best practices to get rid of and prevent bedbug in school dometories and hostel

12.  Besf Home Practices to get rid of and prevent bedbug

13. How do I get the best pest management service provider?

14. How do I move and leave bedbug behind for good?

15. How do I avoid picking up bedbug from infested place?

Bedbug control can be time consuming, annoying and costly but the right information to prevent the attack will save you a lot of money. You can share this post with your friends on facebook and twitter using the 'Share' button below.

How to avoid picking up bedbug from potentially infested place

How to avoid picking up bedbug from potentially infested place

Written by Abet Tonny

Bedbugs are some of the best hitchhikers. But by observing some of these expertise counsel, you can be sure to stay safe.

1. Inquire politely a head of time if bedbugs are there. You can also do your own online search.
2. Carry as little as possible your persinal belongings into the suspected room or home.
3. Always keep your belongings in zippered bag.
4. Sit in plastic chair as opposed to sofa when you are visiting a suspected home.
5. Prefer to sit out of the house if options avail.
6. All in all, upon return home, treat all the clothes you were wearing wth steam or hot water and iron them.
7. Bedbug control is costly. Try your best to avoid picking them.

How to move and leave bedbug behind for good

How to move and leave bedbug behind for good

Written by Abet Tonny

For some reason, you finally decided you want to leave a residence but your major worry is "Won't I ride along with bedbugs to my new residence?" Well, it is so easy to carry along bedbugs only to give you another heartbreak. But with this practical ways, you can be confident they will left behind for good.

1. Wash with strong detergents then dry in hot setting potentially infected clothes.
2. Also consider treating all potentially affected belongings with steam or hot water.
3. Place all potentially infested bedding in clear plastic bags and tightly seal them and expose them under scotching sun for 2 days.
4. Treat with steam and spray with insecticide the furniture.
5. Encase the mattress and cove box spring.
6. Only carry those belongings you are confident do not have bedbug.

How to get the best pest control service provider

How to get the best pest control service provider

Written by Abet Tonny

There are numerous hustlers masquerading as pest control service providers. These people will fumigate your house and immediately the night of the very day, you feel like they ferried yet more ruthless gluttonous breed of bedbugs into your house. Bedbug control is different from cockroach or mosquito control, it requires someone experienced along it. Very few of the insecticides in the consumer market are effective on bedbugs.

However, there are some excellent pest management service providers. This are some of the practical considerations to know them.

1. Technicians should be straightforward and open when discussing details of their services.
2. The company or person should not solely rely on use of pesticide.
3. The company or individual should be experienced in bedbug control. Bedbug control is a lot different.
4. The company should have a professional entomologist or access to one.
5. Understand their guarantees. Bedbugs often resurge so let them tell you what they will do in the event of resurge.

Best Home Practices to Get Rid of and Prevent Bedbug

Best Home Practices to Get Rid of and Prevent Bedbug

Written by Abet Tonny

There is no sweeter place than home except if you have been facing some domestic violence. Home is where we find comfort when all other things are not right. A great reason behind our self-esteem and socialisation. Bedbug infestation can make our homes become hell of a place.

I am going to point out 13 important considerations, if you want to get rid of and prevent bedbug in your home, hostel and any resident facility setting.

1. Periodic inspection of home, house or apartment for signs of bedbug attack.
2. Reduce disorganisation and clutter in your rooms.
3. Thorough cleaning of room.
4. Bagging in tight neck holdings and removal of bedding and clothing from affected area.
5. Encasing the mattress and box spring in zippered encasement.
6. Washing and treating bed sheets and blankets then drying them in hot settings or ironing.
7. Washing and treating furniture like headboard, chair and bed frame.
8. Careful use of insecticides.
9. Use of vacuumers and steamers to suck and kill bedbugs.
10. Use of metal bed frame instead of wood.
11. Prefer white bedsheets which allows you detect the signs of bedbug attack easily before they over multiply and become so costly to eradicate. Bedbugs always leave blood spots where they feed.
12. Paint white, the furniture and wall also to help you detect fast signs of attack by bedbug.
13. Sofa sets and other wicker furniture made from soft natural materials have higher chance of bedbug infestation. Avoid them.

Best Practices to get rid of and prevent bedbug in school dometories and hostels

Best Practices to get rid of and prevent bedbug in school dometories and hostels

Written by Abet Tonny

In 2018, I did a community survey on Geopoll -an online survey app. I was asking people whether they had had encounter with bedbugs. 50 people responded, they were Ugandans. Unsurprisingly, 30/50 -60% said they experienced bedbug in schools during their secondary and post-secondary education. Another survey I conducted in Makerere University community in 2015 revealed that 75% of the students had had experience with bedbug at some point in schools and institutions residences.

No school or university was constructed with bedbugs. The Bedbugs are brought to these places by students, teachers or lecturers and suppport workers serving in these settings.

Effective way to get rid of and prevent bedbug in these settings thus involves analysis of the dynamics under which bedbug can be brought in and developing practical ways to stop these. All in all, bedbug is so costly to get rid of and they have huge impacts on psycho-social wellbeing of pupils and students affecting even their class performance. Bedbugs can not be controlled by the periodic mosquito etadication sprays prefered by administrators.

Schools and hostels should develop bedbug investigation protocal where belongings of every atudent or pupil reporting during start of term or semestre are checked for potential signs of bedbug.
With simple knowledge, signs of bedbug bites on the skin and face can also be evident enough to take appropriate measures. Admnistrators should develop customised policies for handling event like this.

Periodic inspection of school should be done to assess for signs of bedbug infestation. The fewer the bedbugs population, the cheaper to control.
In the event of infestation, insecticide should be applied by experienced pest control service provider experienced in bedbug control.
The use of insecticides should be combined with other approaches like steam treatment, vacuumers and mass cleaning of potentially affected area or belongings and drying in hot settings. This is preferably done during wekend or holidays when occupants are away.

Focus should be placed on educating all school or institution commuity in basic identification, prevention and control ways for bedbug. Here, relevant education materials should be distributed to them or stocked in libraries. Whatsapp and social media groups where discussion can continue should be set to allow for upcoming queations answered by peers and entomologist.

Resident facilities should always ve kept clean and uncluttered. Where as bedbug is not associated with uncleanliness, a decent room will allow for fast and easy detection of the attack making the response timely and the infestation cheaply controlled.
Pupils and students should decist from picking and using lost and found clothes, bedding, bags and furniture. They are potentially bedbug infested. Thoroughly check and clean properly before use.

Always wash clothes with powder detergents. They have chemicals that disrupt proteins in bedbug and kill the younger bedbugs.
Treat potentially affected belongings with steaming hot water.
Dry your clothes in hot settings or do ironing.
Always keep your clothes in zipped bags away from the bed.

Lastly and most importantly, use mattress encasements to protect your mattress from bedbug infestation. The largest number of bedbugs are often found colonising mattresses.

Wrong ways people use in bedbug control

Wrong ways people use in bedbug control

Written by Abet Tonny

Sometimes the right answers are discovered through knowing what we are doing wrongly but with right motive.

Shifting from your room, house or apartment to another without treating your belongings. You will only transfer them into a new locality.

Temporalily abandoning your room or facility. Bedbugs take up toa year without eating. So you will return and find them lying in wait for your blood.

Sole use of insecticide. Most devices used in spraying these chemicals release chemicals in droplets which can't penetrate cracks and crevices.

Best way to get rid of bedbugs 2019

Best way to get rid of bedbugs 2019

Writen by Abet Tonny

During World War II, Americans developed a chemical known as Zyklon Discoids that released toxic gas called hydrogen cyanide. This gas helped alot in clearing the burdensome bedbug in their military camps. Unfortunaely, this Zyklon chemical presented tragic and immediate mal-effects on human beings causing multiple deaths and a search for a safer alternative was an urgent issue.

DDT was then introduced. The action on bedbug eradication was excellent. However, DDT too had devastating effects to humans plus environment. Countless birds and insects died and some of their species vannished in totality owing to action of bedbug super eradicator -DDT. DDT has also been linked to cancer causation in man. DDT has been banned in almost all countries but some developing countries still use.

Banning these Zyklon then DDT paved way for other safer alternatives. Insecticided like synthetic pyrethroid and other organophosphates were introduced. These are the chemicals in market currently.However, some countries are also getting more concerbed as research studies continue to link some of these new pesticides with wide spread of cancer claiming millions of lives annually worldwide.

Better non-chemical based control ways like use of micro-traps, vacuumers, steamers and encasement materials are some of the effective methods.

Increasing public awareness and slum clearance have been some of the most effective ways used by developed countries.

The most recommended ways to rid your home of bedbug is thus having vast useful knowledge about how bedbugs look like, how they spread, maintaining hygiene, combining use of insecticides and steamers are some of the most effective ways to cub the bedbug infestation burden.

How did people in the past control bedbug?

How did people in the past control bedbug?

Written by Abet Tonny

Egypt and magic! The acient Egyptians used to cast spells to try restrain bedbugs. I guess the bedbugs had infested Pharaoh's throne. Whether this worked or not...that can burst a scientist's brain.

Important ancient records also reveal people employed use of plants like black pepper and eucalyptus oil to repell bedbugs. People in Lango, northern Uganda, used 'iboke cwari' (some wild leafy plant) to trap the bedbug.

Why are bedbugs so hard to get rid of???

Why are bedbugs so hard to get rid of???

Written by Abet Tonny

Over the past years, bedbugs have developed 15% thicker skin. The skin helps bedbug prevent entry of chemicals targeted at killing them. An insecticide must first penetrate the skin of a bedbug before killing it. A thicker skin thus means insecticide penetration into the insect body is greatly reduced. Thicker skin of bedbug has made insecticide ineffective in controlling bedbug.

Bedbugs have also developed special substances called esterases and oxidizes. These substances are enzymes that breakdown common insecticides into useless substances that can't kill them. This also makes insecticide useless and ineffective.

Hardy, small and plate-like body structure makes bedbug adept at squeezing and vannishing into tiny places. This enables bedbug escape the insecticide spray.

Another important thing is that dull colour of bedbug makes it hard to recognise a bedbug attack/infestation in your house or room. Bedbugs are brownish to dark in colour. Failing to recognise the attack fast means bedbugs are left to multiply at their will.

Appreciate that bedbug multiplies so fast. A female lays up to 500 eggs every after a month. And in its total life time, a female bedbug produces over 3000 offsprings. Now with each egg maturing very fast into adult and starting to reproduce, one pregnant female bedbug can light up a massive infestation in your house, apartment or room in only 3 months.

The other numbing reality is that bedbug spends upto 550 days -more than a year without eating. This reveals why common practice of abandoning your room or house for some time so bedbug can starve and die doesn't work.

Finally, the clingy character of bedbug makes it hard to avoid bedbug. I mean it is so easy to pick a bedbug from a friend's room, pubic means like taxi or hotels.

Are bedbugs in other countries of the world also??

Are bedbugs in other countries of the world also??

Written by Abet Tonny

Yes, bedbugs have been reported in all continents of the world except Antarctica. The attacks are indiscriminative of poor or developed countries. 

Bedbugs have been reported in 25 major cities of the world.
America and Europe are continents greatly hit by bedbugs.
Asia is not left out either.

A friend in Africa informed me in 2016 of a big deal they had landed managing bedbug in State House in one of the African countries. 

Where do bedbugs come from?

Where do bedbugs come from?

Written by Abet Tonny

I am going to look at this question in two ways. One, the origin and two, how where people can contract bedbug from.

Scientist think bedbugs were once insects like mosquitoes. But they grew preference for human blood thus also losing their ability to fly -I mean their wings. This made bedbugs commonly found in caves where our ancestors lived. The progress in civilisation including better housing simmilarly promoted bedbugs from caves through stone houses, estates and modern homes in our villages, towns and cities. 

Bedbugs also fed on bats and other birds -including your chicken at home. Up to now, some types of bedbug solely feed on bats. 

In ancient writings, bedbug was mentioned in as early as 40 BC by Greece then in 77 AD by Aristotle in Rome. Local plant names like 'oboke cwari' meaning anti-bedbug leaf in Lango reveals bedbug has been a burden in all other parts of Africa.

This leads us to second area, where we can contract bedbug. Well, the biggest source of bedbug attack in our homes is still from school going children who reside in school -50%. Most of the schools and university residences have bedbug. During holidays, huge population of bedbug is often brought to us home from the belongings of our lovely sons and daughters. The other avenues bedbug find its way into your home include; kind visit to bedbug infested home/room -15%, use of public means of transport like taxi and train -10%, taking and using second hand clothes and other abandoned furniture or electricals -20%, sleeping bedbug infested hotels and offering domestic pest control service -5%.

Do bedbugs transmit some diseases?

Do bedbugs transmit some diseases?

Written by Abet Tonny

A stunning 2015 research demonstrated that bedbugs are capable of transmitting Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite that causes Chagas disease. Over 40 disease carrying parasites and viruses like Hepatitis B and HIV have been detected in bedbug after days of feeding suggesting mechanical transmission of these dangerous pathogens by bedbug is possible. Drug resistant bacteria like MRSA and VSE have also been detected in bedbug. Scientists reveal that bedbugs can serve as vector through mechanical transmission and direct transmission.

Where do bedbugs love to hide?

Where do bedbugs love to hide?

Written by Abet Tonny

Bedbugs are usually found in the bed, along the seams and sides of the mattress and box spring. Bedbugs are also found in headboard, bed frame and chair -sofa sets.

How to tell it is a bedbug bite

How to tell it is a bedbug bite

Written by Abet Tonny

Bedbugs love to bite exposed parts of the body when you are sleeping. The bites are often around the face, neck, wrist and leg. 

The most clear signs of bedbug bites include:

• red and swollen, with a dark spot at the center of each bite
• arranged in lines or clusters, with multiple bites grouped together
• itchy

Besides these their bites, bedbugs can also be detected using fecal spots which is always brownish or red.

Adult bedbugs also leave behind amber-coloured transparent skins that look like hollow insect.

One can also see live moving bedbug. Adult bedbug is an oval-shaped insect -about the size and length of watermelon seed. It has no wings and is brownish in colour but blood coloured when fed.

How do I know I have bedbug in my room???

How do I know I have bedbug attack

Written by Abet Tonny

Bedbugs love to bite exposed parts of the body when you are sleeping. The bites are often around the face, neck, wrist and leg. 

The most clear signs of bedbug bites include:

• red and swollen, with a dark spot at the center of each bite
• arranged in lines or clusters, with multiple bites grouped together
• itchy

Besides these their bites, bedbugs can also be detected using fecal spots which is always brownish or red.

Adult bedbugs also leave behind amber-coloured transparent skins that look like hollow insect.

One can also see live moving bedbug. Adult bedbug is an oval-shaped insect -about the size and length of watermelon seed. It has no wings and is brownish in colour but blood coloured when fed.

Aton Solar Fruit Dryers: Northern Uganda Sustainable Hunger Solution

Photo Credit: Nuts.com

Aton Solar Fruit Dryers: Northern Uganda Sustainable Hunger Solution

Written by Abet Tonny

Elsewhere in the world, some people are drowning in flood whilst in Lango sub-region found in northern part of Uganda, it has now been 7 months of drought, skin-roasting heat, hunger and misery. In March 2018, temperature in Lango went to as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit. Lango has 1.5 million people and over 90% of the populations rely on farming as major source of livelihood. It had rained for some two days last month -March 2019, few confident farmers had proceeded planted their hybrid seeds following advise from the National Meteorological Authority but to their utter heartbreak when no single rain drop was experienced henceforth. Farmers lost hundred millions of shillings. 

The prices of food grains like maize and beans  -the most consumed food grains in Lango, have sky rocketed with a kilogram of beans going for as high as $0.7 in local currency. Consider the basic fact that the largest number of families in Lango live on less than $1 a day reveals that the all struggle is now feeding, a huge number of children have stopped schooling,for there is no money to pay school fees. Several families can hardly afford a meal a day. With this prolonged sunshine and furious heat, hunger, misery and hopelessness rage even more in this community recovering from 20 years of LRA insurgency 

Child nutrition is the most threatened by this climate change castigated hunger. These children should attend school daily and excel but with empty stomach, this is nothing but a wild dream. According to USAID,  "In Uganda, 2.2 million children under 5 years (29 percent) are stunted because of malnutrition." Unlike adults, a child's body highly demands food to meet bodies growth needs. Robust child nutrition has also been proven to contribute highly to a child's academic excellence, general creativity in life  due to well built brain and body health during childhood and adulthood. But with this raging hunger in the sub-region, there is no hope for children as the government program to promote feeding in school failed to be implemented in major corners of the nation.

Fortunately, after 7 months, the mango season has reached in the sub-region. Children feel relieved as they can have something to negotiate with the stomach's urge for food. The season often lasting for a mere 1 month and children are brought back to usual misery as close to 50% of the mangoes ripening go to waste. There is no available technology to store for longer time or process the mangoes as they almost ripen at the same time.

Aton Wellness has a solution for this. For 5 years now, Aton had been innovating sustainable technologies for farmers including this Solar Fruit Dryers. The dryer is long lasting simple technology with heat concentration, air blowing and drying units where sliced fruits are placed and in 2 days they are fully dry. The dried fruit retains the natural taste and sensation of the parent fruit and can be stored for up to 5 years. Several fruits can be dried using this technology not limited to; mango, jack fruit, banana and pineapple. It takes only 30 minutes to learn how to operate and maintain this Aton Solar Fruit Dryer machine. Very affordable and fit for use even for those remote areas or illiterate users.

Aton Solar Fruit Dryer

Fruits like mangoes are very rich sources of sugar in hunger situation helping boost the energy level. However, fruits are majorly consumed for the anti-oxidants -cancer preventing nutrients in them and Vitamin C which helps in making our skin smooth and good looking. Solar dried fruits retain all these nutritious components.

                        

               See 7 surprising nutritional benefits of eating dried mangoes>>>HERE

Aton Solar Fruit Dryer technology can thus be a great boost for families who value the health of their members as it secures consumption of these healthy fruits beyond the natural ripening season.

Line government agencies and NGOs in nutrition, health and livelihood can promote this technology among local people as they hail the creativity of Uganda's own youth in bringing sustainable food solutions to the nation and globe.

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Uganda's Livestock Industry Loses UGX300 Billion Annually due to Ticks attack

Uganda's Livestock Industry Loses UGX300 Billion Annually due to Ticks attack Written by Abet Tonny According to United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the world loses 7.3 dollars (approximately 26,000 shillings) per animal per year fighting ticks. A research study conducted in Uganda's Mburo National Park community led by a Makerere University Dr. Ocaido, the effect of ticks on animal production in Uganda is  enormous. In the analysis of their research data, it was revealed that of the total disease control costs, the pastoralists and ranches in the area were spending 85% and 73% respectively to control ticks and tick-borne diseases. This result might not be so surprising with the prevailing fact that in Uganda, in every 10 cattle you find grazing, at least 8 of them are under severe attack from ticks -a condition scientists term as 'tick infestation.'  In the most recent national survey conducted by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda has 11.4 million head of cattle and when you apply your simple mathematics multiplying the total head of cattle (11,400,000) with the yearly loss per animal (26,000) the result should be 299,592,000,000 and this is approximately 300 billion Uganda shillings lost annually battling with ticks. The major threat however is that this loss may double in the next few years as researchers confirm rises in tick resistance to available control chemicals even as veterinary drugs simultaneously become ineffective in managing tick-borne diseases across the nation. The untold battle with ticks in Uganda had definitely lasted thousands of years and it is only growing worse. Animal health practitioners feel weary and exhausted scratching everywhere for solutions to the animal industry's toughest terrorists -ticks but with little success to boast. It is important to appreciate that farmers and investors have already lost much in their animal production related investments owing to raging ticks and tick-borne diseases.  Battle with ticks is a great concern globally. The crave to understand it deeply overwhelmed me. There was no better person to unveil this reality than a local animal farmer. And on 15th March 2019, I decided to pay a strategic visit to Patrick Okello. Patrick is an elderly farmer with 10 heads of cattle, 8 females and 2 males. His farm is some 20 km away from Lira town. Patrick has supplied milk to urban dwellers for the last 30 years. He has Ankole breed of cattle -well managed and healthy cattle kept in free range.  Asking Patrick on whether he had ever had to battle with ticks on his cattle, how he can rate the financial loss and general heartache associated with ticks management, Patrick had these revelations: "There are a number of diseases that keep disturbing these animals. The diseases get more severe if I don't spray to kill ticks on their skin." Patrick continues to narrate that last year 2018 he lost one cow to disease that the veterinary doctor told him is tick-borne. Patrick had delayed for six (6) months minus spraying against ticks. "The problem is that if you start spraying periodically and you skip, the effect of ticks can be overwhelming and death of animal can occur like that one of last year. Sometimes I wish I don't spray my animals like my other friends but I also fear the milk production of my cows will drop so much and the calves would grow so slowly and poorly," Patrick talks as if cursing and applauding the tick control chemicals at ago.  Then on the issue of costs associated with managing ticks, Patrick revealed that each year he spends at least 60,000 to buy tick control chemicals and meet associated costs like transport. The farmer continued that he spends 150,000 to pay a local veterinary doctor who comes thrice a year to treat his animals. Patrick also unveiled to me that sometimes the tick control chemicals -acaricides he buys turn out to be ineffective and that he would have to buy another acaricide. In a nutshell, Patrick loses 210,000 shillings yearly in battle with ticks on his 10 cattle implying he loses 21,000 shillings per cattle per year battling with ticks. In situation where the acaricides do not work, Patrick would spend close to 25,000 shillings per cattle per year. All in all, the reality on ground 80% agrees with FAO's analysis. But when you factor in losses associated with reduced milk volume, lower price at selling point for the animal due to weight issues, death of animal due to tick-borne disease among others, the losses are massive. Ticks are small wingless blood-sucking insects. They are seen when in different sizes, one can encounter a tick as small as a pinhead when unfed or around 10 millimeter (size of maize seed) after sucking blood. There are different species of ticks all presenting with beautiful shades of colours. The colours can range from brown through gray to black or a mix of all the above or more colours. Ticks attack animals like cattle, pigs and poultry. However, their attack on cattle is the most renowned and economically significant one. The attacks on cattle have direct and indirect effects. Parasitic diseases like babesiosis, theileriosis and anaplasmosis are transmitted by ticks to cattle and very rampant in Uganda. These diseases directly lower the market value and reduce productivity of the cattle. The common manifestations of these diseases on cattle include: fever, anaemia, decreased appetite, reduction in milk production, lower endurance of oxen when ploughing, general weakness, lower weight gain, abortion, lower pregnancy rate and death in cattle. Fast development of resistance of ticks to control chemicals -acaricides is greatly worrying scientists in Uganda as farmers and investors face a sharp rise in production costs. Most veterinary input shops and practitioners still continue to stock and recommend some of the tick control chemicals farmers consider as 'not working.' Makererere University  RTC Laboratory based in College of Veterinary Medicine responded to the cry of local farmers. A special research study which result would justify or nullify the claim about 'acaricide ineffectiveness' by local farmers was designed by a team of five (5) experienced researchers. The outcome of this research would be very enlightening. The special laboratory investigation at RTC Laboratory revealed that up to 90% -9 in every 10 tick population showed resistance to synthetic pyrethroid acaricides. Synthetic pyrethroid chemical is the most recommended type given it is considered the safest to the environment and human health. Unfortunately, the farmers have been lamenting about its ineffectiveness and this high profile research study offered concrete scientific backing to the farmers' claim. According to lead researcher in this research project - Dr. Vudriko, ticks were sampled from 17 districts in Uganda in 54 farms. The researchers used 'Larval packet test method' to screen 31 tick populations from 30 farms for ability of the locally available tick control chemicals to kill them. These scientists at Makerere University used the following classes of tick control chemicals; amidine, synthetic pyrethroid (SP), organophosphate (OP) and mixture OP-SP (COF). The researchers then proceeded to assess 'resistance' based on World Health Organization criteria for screening insecticide resistance. Vudriko confirms that even upon doubling the doses of the synthetic pyrethroid, 6 in 10 ticks still showed resistance to the chemical. Close to half -43% of ticks were also resistant to mixture of tick control chemicals that the researchers termed co-formulations, chlorfenvinphos and amitraz registered 13% resistance from ticks. Amitraz is has been one of the best tick control chemical but the incidence of tick resistance to it has started emerging.  The RTC study was the first to report emergence of high level of resistance of ticks to synthetic pyerthroid and resistance to wide range of chemicals in what the scientists termed as 'super SP resistant and multi-acaricide resistant Rhipicephalus ticks in Uganda.' Most importantly, the researchers are worried that in the absence of technical interventions, farmer-led solutions aimed at troubleshooting for efficacy of multitude of tick control chemicals at their disposal are expected to potentially cause negative collateral effects on future chemical tick control options, animal welfare and public health.  Finally, unlike human drugs that are present in different types, there are very few panels of chemicals for managing ticks. The most intriguing bit is that ticks are so far significantly resistant to 60% of these chemicals. Unless the government of Uganda is planning to invent a novel tick control chemical, non-regualted usage of acaricides will mean in the next few years, ticks will become resistant to all available chemical types and the country will have no option but to down-size on the animal production industry as animal farming can't last any long without robust tick control strategy involving use of tick control chemicals. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to give a comment below.