CONFIRMED: Mass Livestock Vaccinations To Commence Next Week
Kenya has announced that cattle vaccination will be implemented throughout the country next week.
Allan Azegele, Director of Veterinary Services, stated that mass vaccinations will commence immediately due to disease dangers.
“The mass vaccination cannot wait any longer,’’ Azegele told the Nation on Tuesday.
The mass immunization program will commence in Laikipia County and will be carried out at the county level.
The National Government is ready to roll out 1.3m vaccines to carry out a national vaccination campaign.
— Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development (@kilimoKE) January 20, 2025
We have successfully conducted pilot exercises in Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, and Wajir counties over the last six months #livestockfarming pic.twitter.com/5qW7DGWSlT
The activity will be overseen by county directors of veterinary services (CDVS).
“The CDVSs are the frontline soldiers because they are responsible for disease control at the county level. The success or failure of this exercise lies in their hands,” Azegele said.
According to Azegele, the problem has been aggravated by the prolonged drought, which has resulted in increased animal movement in search of grass.
The counties of Kakamega, West Pokot, and Trans Nzoia are currently under full quarantine due to foot and mouth disease.
Provisional quarantine (where there are suspected cases but pending test confirmation) is currently in effect in Nandi.
There have been reports of probable outbreaks in the Meru region with vaccinations targeting foot and mouth and Peste Des Petitts (PPR) infections.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐌𝐃 & 𝐏𝐏𝐑 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
— Directorate of Veterinary Services (@Dir_vetservices) December 16, 2024
Healthy herds will gain access to 𝐔.𝐒., 𝐄𝐔, & 𝐔𝐀𝐄 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬, covering 1/3 of the global GDP.
Boost for dairy, sheep, & goat industries with higher demand for disease-free products pic.twitter.com/mCc6IFp72S
The disease is highly contagious and transboundary, potentially killing millions of cows and goats.
Such enormous losses might force Kenya out of export markets, particularly the oil-rich Gulf States.
“This is a transboundary animal disease that causes significant losses to farmers and interferes with trade both within the country and internationally,” Azegele said of the foot and mouth disease.
The proposed mass vaccination has sparked controversy, with some lawmakers claiming a sinister agenda.
However, President William Ruto has informed Kenyans that the vaccine is a voluntary program to improve the quality of animal products.
Ruto has reminded Kenyans that the vaccination campaign, which targets 22 million cattle and 50 million goats, is entirely to limit the spread of diseases.
On Tuesday, Azegele stated that the threat presented by foot and mouth disease is worse in Nandi.
Twelve livestock markets in four sub-counties in Nandi have been closed.
Similar restrictions apply in other impacted locations.
“The Nandi (and the three counties) quarantine is provisional. We received the information last month and we are in close collaboration on the interventions we undertake,” Azegele said.
“A quarantine lasts for as long as necessary until we confirm the absence of the disease, and so far, none of those affected counties have reported the absence of FMD.”
According to Azegele, if the sickness isn’t adequately handled, the government could lose up to Sh64.4 billion (USD500 million) in internal and international trade.
“When an outbreak is reported, the impact is more severe on dairy farmers as they cannot sell their milk during outbreaks. Beef producers also cannot access markets when a quarantine is enforced,” he said.
“There is also no movement of livestock and livestock products because if you get them out of the quarantine area, what happens is that you are spreading the disease. This is similar to what we saw when we had the COVID situation.”
Foot and Mouth Disease is one of Kenya’s most economically destructive livestock illnesses, rapidly spreading from animal to animal.
The virus infects cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, causing fever and blisters in the mouth and on the feet, resulting in significant productivity losses.
While rarely lethal in mature animals, the disease can cause substantial mortality among young livestock and lead to a significant drop in milk production.
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Kenya’s capacity to compete in international markets has been severely affected by FMD.
“We have access to the UAE market, we have access to the EU market, and we are working on accessing the USA market,” Azegele noted.
Azegele highlighted that Kenyan items are currently selling for Sh1,163 (USD9) per kilogramme on foreign shelves, compared to Sh1,551 (USD12) from competitors, resulting in a significant loss of potential revenue.
“When we are at the table seeking these agreements, and we want to get our livestock products to these markets, we are told you have FMD. So we have to vaccinate if we want to get into these markets.”
CONFIRMED: Mass Livestock Vaccinations To Commence Next Week
