A veterinary
officer during
a past mass
vaccination
of livestock in
Turkana /FILEThe Turkana government is targeting to vaccinate one million livestock in a major campaign to curb the spread of
transboundary animal diseases that threaten pastoral livelihoods in the county.
The exercise will be undertaken in partnership with Veterinaires Sans Frontieres Germany (VSF-G) and will target sheep, goats and cattle in border areas that are particularly vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
Under the programme, 850,000 sheep and goats will be vaccinated against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), 100,000 goats will receive vaccines against Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), while 25,000 cattle will be immunised against Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
Chief officer for livestock development and fisheries Peter Ikaru welcomed the partnership, saying the timing was ideal as livestock are currently concentrated in designated grazing areas.
“This partnership is timely. With the cattle kraals established and adequate pasture available, we will secure our livestock and achieve our targets,” Ikaru said.
The vaccination campaign follows a Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS) exercise conducted by the county government, which identified priority vaccination sites in Turkana North, Turkana West, Lokichoggio, Lokiriama and Kibish.
The initiative forms part of the Pastoralism and Livestock Adaptation to Climate Change in Eastern Africa (PLACE) project, a six-month programme funded by the European Union through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and implemented by VSF-G.
Besides vaccination, the project will support treatment and deworming of animals in Kibish, Lokichoggio, Turkana North, Turkana West and Loima/Lokiriama. It will also facilitate the development of the Longiding water pan in Nanam ward.
Ikaru said the county government is supporting the programme through technical personnel, logistics and veterinary supplies, including 250,000 doses of PPR vaccine, 25,000 LSD vaccine vials, 200 vials of antibiotics, 400 litres of dewormers and related equipment.
He emphasised the need for communities to take ownership of development projects to ensure sustainability beyond the implementation period.
Janerose Tioko, the chief officer for resource mobilisation, partnerships and donor coordination, commended FAO and VSF-G for their continued support of livestock development, water access and livelihood programmes in Turkana.
“The PLACE partnership under VSF-G and other development partners align with the county's agenda of collaboration and strategic partnerships,” she said.
Tioko revealed that the county is currently mapping all development partners, their projects and areas of operation to improve coordination and accountability.
“This will enable the county to effectively coordinate partner activities and promote a more holistic approach to development,” she said.
