The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has been reported in some parts of Laikipia County, according to the department of Livestock.
The County Livestock Production Officer(CLPO), Pius Butich said the disease has been reported in Rumuruti, Sosian, Mukogodo, Segera and Ngobit wards.
While addressing a County Steering Group (CSG) meeting on Friday, the officer said 60,000 heads of cattle and 100,000 sheep and goats (Shoats) had been vaccinated for the disease in June this year.
“There is need to vaccinate livestock in areas which were not covered during the June vaccination exercise carried by the County Government,” Butich noted.
He pointed out that the wards which require urgent vaccination are Githiga, Marmanet, Igwamiti, Tigithi, Thingithu and/ Nanyuki, adding that continuous surveillance and sample collection is going on.
The CLPO cautioned that the heavy long rains might result in flooding with subsequent incidences of Zoonotic diseases, like Anthrax, Brucellosis and Rift Valley Fever (RVF).
“The current meteorological reports have sent alerts for R VF, which is the most dangerous Zoonotic disease’’ Butich added.
He proposed the need to put in place early warning system on high alert as part of measures to protect both livestock and humans against the disease.
Butich said all field staff, public health administrators and local leaders should be alerted on the likelihood of an outbreak of Zoonotic diseases, Livestock in high risk areas should be vaccinated, and all reported cases of livestock abortion, hemorrhage syndromes and deaths should be investigated and serum and blood be sent to Central Veterinary Laboratory Kabete for scrutiny.
The CLPO added that active surveillance would be intensified, with emphasis on areas that experienced the diseases in both animals and humans during the previous outbreaks and a one-health approach should be activated through collaboration with the ministry of health.
He noted that Sh.2million is required to purchase 50,000 doses of RVF vaccine and 60,000 doses of FMD.
By Margaret Kirera
