Working with the Ugandan Ministry of Livestock, a team of 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion (402 CA) veterinarian healthcare experts attached to the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa partnered with their Ugandan counterparts to treat thousands of animals during a Veterinarian Civil Action Program (VETCAP) mission in Karamoja, May 25 to June 11, 2011.

The VETCAP brought many Ugandan veterinarian service experts to remote villages in northern Uganda to treat a variety of livestock ailments ranging from external parasites to highly contagious diseases that affect health and result in a high mortality rate.

"The most important aspect of the VETCAP was partnering with the community animal health care workers so the Karamoja citizens could continue to treat animals within their communities," mission commander and veterinarian U.S. Army Captain Jill Lynn said.

The partner nation members began the VETCAP by attending a week's worth of courses taught by non-government organizations, the District Veterinarian Officer and his staff, and 402 CA soldiers. During the second week of the mission, the team traveled to three Karamoja district locations and treated thousands of animals each day.

During the treatment phase of the mission, there was a festive air as herdsmen of all ages came many miles to have their livestock treated. Small children tugged goats and dogs along with ropes; other youngsters came in groups carrying chickens over their shoulders or baby goats cradled in their arms.

"Once the VETCAP kicked off for the day, the herdsman worked together like a finely tuned team," Lynn said. "We treated over 30,000 animals in six days and partnered with many Ugandan veterinarian healthcare provider groups, which will result in better veterinarian healthcare of Ugandan livestock."

Among the various type of treatment the VETCAP offered were vitamins.

"The administering of vitamins for general health improvement and medication to remove internal and external parasites were just a small portion of the treatment provided," Lynn said.

According to Lynn, any initial challenge posed by the language barrier between the 402 CA soldiers and the Ugandans was resolved with the arrival University of Makerere veterinarian students.

"It was a huge impact to our success when the students not only mentored the community animal health care workers, but provided language translation as well throughout the VETCAP," Lynn said. "They facilitated our ability to speak with the local villagers to find out what symptoms and problems ailed the animals we were treating."

According to Lynn, the most important aspect of the VETCAP was partnering with the CAHWs, so the Karamoja citizens could continue to treat animals within their communities.

One result of this joint partnership with the CAHWs and the Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) is the decrease in local cattle raiding, a common practice in the region to replace diseased or deceased livestock. This decrease is due to the increase of healthy livestock, a state of affairs that had made it less likely for herdsmen to steal other citizen's cattle.

"This mission is very important to the people of Uganda so they can receive care for their animals and not be worried about having their herds raided by rebels," said a UPDF lieutenant. "I feel very happy for the farmers because they needed this and they are so happy now."

One local citizen agreed.
"The cow is our most treasured possession and it is our life," said Alfred Ngonemoe, a resident of Nabilatuk, Uganda. "There is no better way our government can help us, and by partnering with the U.S. Army to bring us this medicine, it is an unexplainable appreciation. I only wish they could come more often."