Bridging Policy and Implementation in Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control Through GIS-Enabled Surveillance

Abstract

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals and continues to constrain livestock productivity and trade globally (Lubroth, 2024; Lycett et al., 2019). In sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within the East African cattle corridors, FMD remains endemic due to extensive livestock mobility, porous borders, and inadequate surveillance capacity (Pfukenyi & Mukaratirwa, 2018; Woldemariyam et al., 2023). In Uganda, recurrent outbreaks threaten the livelihoods of communities dependent on cattle, particularly in southwestern districts that function as major livestock production centres (Tumushabe A., 2021).
Although national efforts such as vaccination, quarantine enforcement, and farmer sensitisation have been implemented, the persistent frequency and spatial distribution of outbreaks indicate that current control strategies are inadequate (Jegede, Omobowale, Okediran, & Adegboye, 2017). A significant limitation is the reliance on manual and hierarchical disease reporting and response mechanisms, including written reports, phone calls, and emails routed through district veterinary offices(Ayebazibwe et al., 2010). These approaches are slow, fragmented, and ineffective for capturing real-time outbreak dynamics, which enables rapid disease spread before containment measures can be enacted (Neumann & Hall, 2019).
Given the inherently spatial nature of FMD transmission, there is growing interest in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and digital surveillance technologies to improve disease awareness, monitoring, and control. This study systematically reviews existing frameworks and technologies used for FMD management, with the aim of identifying gaps and justifying the need for a GIS-based surveillance approach.