Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Our last day of the VETCAP mission involving animal work. We meet at the Ministry of Agriculture office with Mama Safe, Freddy Manju and the others who have participated. Dr. Shimbolu, the veterinarian in charge joins us today. We will have a local TV station covering our activities. LTC Pope hands out certificates to the Ministry personnel and to our contract drivers who have been taking us around.

We depart to the south once again and work about 600 cattle today. Dr. Shimbolu takes active part, including herding the animals, which goes pretty much as usual. Dr. Shimbolu explains that his career has progressed from the ground floor up. He began working as a layman first and then obtained a two-year certificate, and then a veterinary degree (I believe that was his progression). He has served in different locations in Tanzania, and for about the past six years in Tanga.

After our day we head “home” and at the hotel we meet to plan the trip back to Dar es Salaam and get the unused items ready to leave with the Ministry personnel. We have left over pour-on permethrin and dip tank permethrin, ivermetin injectable, FMD vaccine, rabies vaccine, New Castle disease vaccine, injectable antibiotics (tylosin, oxtytetracycline, and penicillin-streptomycin), and antibiotic spray (oxytet and gentian violet “purple spray”). We also will leave the remaining “gun” syringes made in West Germany and the parts from those that broke down, and needles. We also prepare some to FMD vaccine, pour on and ivermectin with “Jane” the desk clerk who we had agreed to help with her 16 cows but now we are unable to do because of “protocol” with the Ministry. We are OK with leaving the treatments but she and her brother will have to do them.

We settle up our hotel bills, mine amounting to 1.885 Million TZA shillings. That night have supper at the Kiboku (Hippopotomus) Restaurant, joined by 1LT McCoy and SFC (MSG?) Rodriguez of the Civil Affairs team stationed in Tanga. The best item on the menu for the money is the mishikaki, or beef which is grilled on a skewer. One shiskabob skewer of six pieces of “steak” is 4,000 TZA shillings, or less than $4 U.S. Goes well with a Tusker or “Kili” (Kilimanjaro) beer and chips (fried potatoes) and a salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and a slaw which is pretty tasty.