Kitui launches vaccination of livestock against killer diseases

The government of Kitui has rolled out a massive livestock vaccination against Rift Valley fever.

Kitui CEC for Agriculture and Livestock Stephen Kimwele said the exercise will go on until the end of April. It will also cover lumpy skin disease in cattle.

Kimwele on Wednesday called on farmers to take their animals for the jab to keep them free of killer diseases.

“The government is carrying out a countywide vaccination for animals against contagious caprine pleuropneumonia for goats, lumpy skin disease for cattle and Rift Valley fever,” the CEC said.

The government is also vaccinating dogs against rabies and deworming donkeys. Nearly half a million animals will be vaccinated.

Rift Valley fever primarily affects animals but can also infect humans, Kimwele said.

The immunisation has been occasioned by an outbreak of the disease early this year. Kimwele said RVF is a “highly dangerous trans-county disease” that must be kept at bay by all means.

In January, Kimwele announced that the government of Kitui had partnered with Veterinaires Sans Frontiers of Germany to vaccinate goats and sheep following an outbreak of a deadly plague.

The CEC said at the time that an outbreak of goat and sheep plagues had already killed young livestock.

The most affected areas were Mwingi North, Mwingi Central  and Kitui  East.