Conflict hampers vaccination as PPR rages

Conflict and drought are hampering efforts to control the viral livestock disease Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), which has already killed at least 2.7 million sheep and goats and undermined livelihoods dependent on livestock in Kenya.

Clan clashes in the northeast of Mandera and Wajir East have disrupted vaccination efforts.

“We have enough vaccines and manpower but insecurity and drought are hampering our efforts,” said the provincial director of veterinary services, Wyclife Wangwe. “We suspended the exercise after our officers were attacked.”

Conflict over resources and banditry in the drought-prone northeast region have also displaced thousands of people and prompted population and livestock migration.

“Veterinary officers have visited all parts of the province and they are moving around, but in some cases they found nobody,” Wangwe said.

Out of a targeted 1.2 million sheep and goats in the province, only 499,000 have been vaccinated against PPR.

“Our target is to cover at least 85 per cent of the total animal population in the province,” he said. Livestock markets will be reopened once the target is met.

Although no PPR-related deaths have been recorded in the area recently, there have been livestock deaths due to drought.

PPR symptoms include fever, discharges from the eyes and nose and diarrhoea.

According to livestock keepers, the vets have taken too long to respond.

“The vaccination team has only visited grazing fields near the trading centres and left out thousands of animals that have migrated to the remote parts of the districts in search of pasture,” said John Legei, a resident of Laikipia District in the Rift Valley. “The livestock are not found around trading centres ... thousands of animals have yet to be vaccinated.”

“It is painful that pastoralists are losing their livestock to a disease that can be prevented ... many pastoralists are now selling their livestock.”

IRIN