The government has expressed its preparedness to roll out the nationwide livestock vaccination exercise. During a visit to the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI), Agriculture CS Dr. Andrew Karanja stated that the production center will supply all the required vaccines. The government plans to vaccinate 22 million cattle and 50 million goats and sheep in an initiative that will kick off in January.
While addressing the safety concerns raised concerning the initiative, Dr Karanja noted that every vaccine goes through rigorous tests to ensure they are safe. “The director of veterinary services has a team here for quality assurance, they check every vaccine and further take them to the AU institute for tests thus guaranteeing safety, ´´said Dr Karanja. He also noted that no vaccines would be sourced from outside the country, mentioning that Kenya is already exporting the vaccines to other African countries including Senegal and Uganda.
KEVEVAPI has production sites in Nairobi (Industrial area) and Kabete and produces more than 75 million doses in a year. The institute which employs Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure safety for local and international markets has expertise in producing more than 10 critical vaccines including Newcastle Disease, Rift Valley Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR). The government is seeking to vaccinate cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease and sheep and goats against PPR.
High vaccination rates against a given disease help develop herd immunity thus protecting every animal in the herd including those that do not receive vaccination. The disease becomes less likely to gain a footing in the herd since there would be reduced chances of an outbreak.
The initiative by the government to vaccinate more than 70 million livestock aims at enabling Kenya to export high-quality livestock products.