Kenya steps up efforts to boost ruminant vaccination

Kenya has stepped up efforts to improve ruminant vaccination as government agencies, private sector players and development partners convened in Nairobi for a major multi-stakeholder meeting aimed at raising the country’s vaccination coverage for cattle, sheep and goats.

The high-level forum - organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in partnership with the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) and the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) - brought together county veterinary officials, vaccine manufacturers, farmer groups, researchers and development partners to strengthen coordination in livestock disease control.

GALVmed CEO Dr. Lois Muraguri said the organisation’s work under the VITAL 2 programme is focused on improving access to quality vaccines for smallholder farmers.

 “Our aim with VITAL 2 is to ensure that effective, affordable and accessible livestock vaccines reach the smallholder farmers who need them the most,” she said.

Deputy Director of Veterinary Services David Kihuyu emphasized the need for stronger collaboration to meet the country’s livestock health goals.

 “Kenya cannot achieve its livestock development goals without a unified and well-coordinated vaccination framework,” he said, noting that preventable diseases continue to cost the country billions of shillings every year through lower milk yields, carcass losses and reduced market access.

Kenya Veterinary Association Council Chairman Dr. Nicholas Muyale underscored the importance of structured engagement among sector players.

“Kenya urgently needs a permanent multi-stakeholder platform to coordinate ruminant vaccination,” he said, adding that improved coverage would significantly enhance productivity and open up more livestock markets.

The meeting highlighted persistent challenges in the vaccination chain, including high costs for farmers, limited cold-chain infrastructure, low farmer awareness and shortages of trained Animal Health Service Providers.

Current national vaccination coverage stands at only 12–18%, far below the 70–80% needed to control major diseases such as FMD, PPR, CCPP and Lumpy Skin Disease.

The workshop concluded with a commitment to establish a National Ruminant Vaccination Steering Committee to coordinate stakeholder activities, strengthen vaccine delivery systems and support Kenya’s goal of improving livestock productivity by 40% by 2030.