A Survey of Priority Livestock Diseases and Laboratory Diagnostic Needs of Animal Health Professionals and Farmers in Uganda

Abstract

Background: Despite the investments made in veterinary diagnostic laboratory service delivery in Uganda, the scope and level of utilization remains low. This study aimed to determine the priority livestock diseases for which farmers and animal health professionals require veterinary diagnostic laboratory services, document the perceptions and opinions of key stakeholders on veterinary diagnostic laboratory services, and determine the factors that influence the delivery and utilization of animal disease diagnostic services in Uganda. Methods: A qualitative study approach involving a survey and key informant interviews was used to collect relevant data from four stakeholder groups: animal health workers, laboratory technologists and technicians, farmers, and key informants. The survey data were exported to excel, and descriptive statistics performed. The key informant interview recordings were transcribed, and thematic analysis performed. Results: The most reported diseases and conditions for which diagnostic services were needed were hemoparasites (including East Coast fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and trypanosomosis), viral (including Foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, rift valley fever, and papillomatosis), bacteria (including brucellosis, colibacillosis, anthrax, leptospirosis, and paratuberculosis) and protozoa diseases (coccidiosis), endoparasites (helminths), and mastitis. The most common diagnostic laboratory tests requested by clients, but laboratories were unable to provide included: rapid tests for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, Foot and mouth disease, Newcastle disease, acaricide analysis, culture and antimicrobial sensitivity test, serology, and complete blood count. The most frequently reported challenges to providing diagnostic laboratory services were poor or lack of relevant equipment, insufficient or lack of supplies and reagents, high cost of reagents, inadequate or lack of laboratory staff to perform tests, and inadequate training of laboratory staff. Conclusions: This study highlighted the need to improve provision of laboratory diagnostic services to meet the prioritized diagnostic needs of farmers and animal health professionals. Increased intersectoral engagement and funding support from the private, industry, and government sectors is necessary to help address the observed challenges to provision of diagnostic laboratory services, including equipping of the laboratories, provision of supplies, and hiring and training of laboratory staff. Finally, the findings also suggest that the education of farmers and animal health workers on the value and benefits of laboratory diagnostic services may contribute to increase in sample submission and subsequent demand for diagnostic laboratory services.

Keywords: Uganda; animal health; diagnostics; laboratory; laboratory technologist; livestock; veterinary; veterinary professionals.

Figure 1

Map of Uganda showing study area. Mid-Central region: Wakiso, Mukono, Kampala, and Nakaseke districts. Southwest region: Mbarara and Ssembabule districts.

Figure 2

(A,B) The most common tests requested by clients. Graph (A) represents tests requested for which labs have capacity to test; (B) represents tests requested but laboratories have no capacity to tests. Both questions had multiple responses. Bars represent percent of laboratory technicians (n = 16) that selected each test.

Figure 3

(A) Diagnostic tests that a laboratory would like to have in-order to improve the range of services offered to their clients. (B) Diseases or conditions that respondents would like to test at their laboratories but are currently unable to test. Both questions had multiple responses. Bars represent percent of laboratory technicians (n = 16) reporting a test or disease.

Figure 4

The most tested diseases in the laboratory. This question had multiple responses. Bars represent percent of laboratory technicians (n = 16) that selected each disease/condition.

Figure 5

Type of tests commonly requested by animal health workers when submitting samples to laboratories for clinical diagnosis. This question had multiple responses. Bars represent percent of animal health workers (n = 57) that requested each type of test.

Figure 6

The top five important factors that determine whether clients will submit samples to the laboratory. Bars represent percent of laboratory technicians (n = 14) that selected each factor. This question had multiple responses.

Figure 7

Top ranked important factors that determine whether animal health workers would submit samples to a laboratory or not. Bars represent percent of animal health workers (n = 57) that selected each factor. This question had multiple responses.

Figure 8

The Top ranked important factors that determine whether farmers would submit samples to a laboratory or not. Bars represent percent of farmers (n = 86) that selected each factor. This question had multiple responses.

Figure 9

Key aspects that the laboratory needs to improve to attract more clients and improve client satisfaction. Bars represent percent of laboratory technicians (n = 14) that provided each solution. This question had multiple responses.