The national mass livestock vaccination campaign aimed at combating diseases and securing export markets, has stalled due to a lack of funding.
The Directorate of Veterinary Services and the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (Kevevapi) have confirmed that the exercise has been paralysed by insufficient funds. "We understand that the exercise was called off due to a lack of money, and this will have significant repercussions on livestock production in the coming months," said Kenya Veterinary Paraprofessional Association (KVPA) chairman John Ngigi.
Speaking in Naivasha, Ngigi said that Kevevapi had been prepared to produce the necessary vaccines, but the effort had been shelved owing to the financial constraints.
He emphasised that the vaccination initiative would have been critical in establishing disease-free zones, essential for facilitating international trade in livestock and livestock products. "The frequent quarantines have deprived livestock keepers of income generated from livestock trade, causing the country to lose several markets due to disease outbreaks," he said.
