• The disease has no cure and can only be controlled through vaccination.
•Farmers have been asked to avail their animals for the vaccine as an abattoir will open soon and healthy animals are required for export.
West Pokot county is vaccinating goats and sheep against peste des petits ruminants disease in North Pokot.
The programme aims to vaccinate one million goats and sheep against the highly contagious viral disease, PPR; there is no cure.
Speaking while launching the vaccination drive on Saturday at Nakuyen, Governor John Lonyangapuo said the programme aims at making the region a disease-free zone.
Lonyangapuo said that livestock keeping contributes immensely to the county's economy.
“To tap this potential, we need to vaccinate our livestock against diseases so we can continue reaping from this venture,” he said.
Lonyangapuo said the disease has no cure and can only be controlled through vaccination.
Symptoms of the disease are wounds in the mouth, mucous, diarrhea and fever.
He said that the county supplies meat to towns in the country and doesn't want to sell sick animals.
“We want to protect our consumers since we are among counties that sell a larger percentage of meat in this country,” he said.
Lonyangapuo said he also wants to protect farmers from incurring huge losses so they are vaccinating.
In addition, he said, elimination of livestock diseases is a preparatory process ahead of the opening of the Nasukuta Export Abattoir.
“This is a crucial step in making our county a disease-free zone and ensuring we supply quality meat to all markets in the country,” he said.
Lonyangapuo said the Nasukuta slaughterhouse is at 70 per cent complete and they are investing heavily in control of diseases since they don’t want the abattoir to lack livestock.
The governor said farmers have been exploited by middlemen and his government is committed to ensure that farmers reap good returns.
The governor also toured Pokatusa, Atulia and Morwongar in Suam ward, Kacheliba constituency for the vaccination launch.
(Edited by V. Graham)