Veterinary doctors across Uganda have clashed with the Uganda Veterinary Council (UVC) over what they describe as exorbitant annual licence fees.
More than 1,200 veterinary professionals and paraprofessionals from 92 districts have petitioned the minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, seeking urgent government intervention over the new charges introduced by the council.
The practitioners say the fees have been sharply increased from Shs150,000 to Shs500,000 for veterinarians and from Shs100,000 to Shs340,000 for paraprofessionals.
They warn that the hike could force many out of practice, increase the cost of animal treatment and undermine key government programmes such as the Parish Development Model and efforts to control foot-and-mouth disease.
“We are not fighting the Uganda Veterinary Council. We support regulation and professionalism,” said Dr Dickson Tayebwa, one of the lead petitioners.
“However, the council’s first major decision was to increase fees drastically. This will hurt poor farmers and push many qualified veterinarians out of rural practice.”
Dr Rogers Dankaine said only 373 veterinarians had so far paid the new fees out of more than 3,000 practitioners nationwide, leaving the majority technically operating without valid licences.
“This situation means many are now practising illegally. Rural districts are already experiencing severe shortages of veterinary services,” he said.
Uganda currently has about 372 registered veterinary professionals against an estimated national requirement of 4,529, representing just 8.2% coverage.
There are also 998 registered paraprofessionals compared with a required 19,719, while only 11 veterinary clinics are registered out of the 2,191 needed.
The petitioners argue that the new fees are among the highest in East Africa and exceed those paid by other regulated professionals such as medical doctors and lawyers in Uganda.
“Farmers will ultimately bear the cost through higher service charges, or they will lose their animals due to lack of access to veterinary care,” said Dr Mugwanya Remigius.
In their petition, the practitioners are calling for the immediate suspension of the revised fees, a stakeholders’ meeting within 30 days and the introduction of a more affordable structure. They propose fees of Shs200,000 for veterinarians and Shs160,000 for paraprofessionals.
They also urged the minister to exercise his powers under the Veterinary Practitioners Act to ensure that future fee adjustments are made through proper consultation and formal legal instruments.
By Thursday, neither the ministry nor the UVC had issued an official response.
