Delivery of animal health services in extensive livestock production

systems in Kenya

T.N MangaDirectorate of Veterinary Services,

KenyaWorkshop on the delivery of animal health services in extensive livestock production systems

Nairobi, 9-10 March 2017

Background

• Huge successes and strides evident in pastoral nomadic production in breeding, production, nutrition, health, productivity and profitability with aid of motorcycles.

AH Delivery in Pastoral Systems

• Extensive pastoral nomadic production systems do not by their very nature lend themselves to easy delivery of animal health services due to the following:– Low human and livestock density per square

kilometer– Weak money economy – Harsh terrain and poor communication

infrastructure

Public AH Delivery Model

• The official veterinary services have visible presence at County, Sub-county and sub-location level.

• The intensity of coverage mostly rides on official programs that are sporadic and far between and the individual drive and motivation of officers.

Public AH Delivery Model

• Drought intervention programs

• During official programs, the veterinarian-animal contact usually good.

Public AH Delivery Models

• Veterinary teams do not all the time play their role in guiding and demonstrating good practice– The case of bandits riding shotgun in tattered clothing. – The case of wrong vaccination SOPs in cattle and small

stock, cold chain and asepsis– The case for the use of Sterimatic®

• The case of counties where leaders have seized on animal health events to drum support and investment in visibility.

Public AH Delivery Model

• Guidelines for Delivery of Veterinary Services (Issued by DVS to Counties- as a circular to be re-issued from time to time)

• The Veterinary Policy is provided for in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya.

• Legal Framework– Large body of laws governing animal diseases,

professional requirements, veterinary medicines and animal welfare

Private AH Delivery Models

• Mobile purveyors of vet. drugs by cash and barter• Purveyors of veterinary drugs at stock markets• Community and private veterinary stores at trading

centers and outposts • Cross border movement of vet. drug products (illegal as

products not registered for use in the country).• Low or no reach by supervisory control of veterinary

statutory bodies– adulteration & counterfeiting – fatal allure of low prices

Private AH Delivery Models• Relegation of dip

management to communities has not been successful.

• County governments have stepped into dip management.

• Opportunity to concession dips to private AHSP to provide tick control and drug dispensing and treatment services.

Veterinary Services

• The governmental and non-governmental organizations that implement animal health, animal production and animal welfare measures and related services.

• Veterinary Services are under the overall control and direction of the Competent Authority headed by the Director of Veterinary Services (World Organization for Animal Health-OIE).

Veterinary Field Days

• E.g. Kenya Veterinary Association Field Days (20,000 animals treated, 150 dogs castrated), exposure to good veterinary practice and products,

• Community turnout and number of animals presented usually overwhelming and demand for drugs and vaccines are rarely met.

• Field days attain heightened community education and awareness on animal diseases and welfare, and attain improved veterinarian to animal contact.

Community Based Approaches

• The drive for community animal health/disseminated animal health opposed by the profession through professional associations and statutory bodies.

• DVS has made recommendations on uniform training standards, general curriculum development and minimum requirements of certificate training for community animal health workers.

• The futility of turning lay people into animal health practitioners without formal training and lack of grasp on basic concepts (asepsis, dose).

Veterinary Medicines Regulation

• Misuse of drugs and increased antimicrobial resistance that pose a threat to human and animal health.

• Sale and distribution of fake and adulterated veterinary products.

• Pharmacovigilance• Veterinary Medicines Directorate

Veterinary Internship

• A process through which trained professionals will gain further practical experience under supervision and practical training for one year [Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Paraprofessionals Act No. 29 of 2011].

• The internship programme undertaken in institutions approved by the Kenya Veterinary Board and includes National, County and sub county Veterinary offices.