A new generation of combination vaccines for sheep and goats will be unveiled at the 60th Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) Congress, in what is being described as a significant boost for Kenya’s nationwide livestock vaccination programme.
The congress will run from Tuesday, April 21 to Friday, April 24 at the Diamonds Leisure Beach and Golf Resort, Diani.
The field visit and first administration of the new vaccine will take place on Saturday, April 25 in Kwale County, coinciding with World Veterinary Day.
The launch will include a first of its kind vaccine offering protection against three diseases for sheep and goats.
The vaccine will be administered for the first time during the field visit, marking a key milestone in livestock disease prevention.
The organizers said vaccines have been developed under the Veterinary Innovations Transforming Animal Health and Livelihoods (VITAL) project led by the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), in partnership with several animal health companies.
The project is in its second phase and is funded by the Gates Foundation and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
“The Horn of Africa is described as having the largest concentration of livestock keepers in the world. In Kenya, as many as seven million people keep livestock, with more than 60 percent of the population relying on animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, camels, pigs and poultry for their livelihoods,” they said.
Livestock plays a major role in the economy as it contributes 42 percent of Kenya’s agriculture and approximately 12 percent of its GDP.
However, they said livestock diseases continue to cause heavy losses with diseases such as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) being major threats.
These diseases are said to be responsible for significant mortality and economic losses for farmers across Kenya and the wider region.
“In recent years, the government of Kenya has identified diseases such as PPR as a national priority, underscoring the need for scalable, effective vaccination solutions,” the organizers said.
The new combination vaccines are designed to address this gap as they represent a major innovation in this space while also allowing broader protection through a single intervention.
They are also expected to improve efficiency in vaccine delivery, particularly in resource constrained and high temperature environments where logistics often limit access to animal health services.
More broadly, the innovations are expected to support a shift toward greater private sector participation in livestock vaccine delivery.
This they said complements government vaccination campaigns and helps expand access to farmers.
The 60th KVA Congress is expected to bring together veterinary professionals, researchers, policymakers and industry partners to discuss advances in animal health.
The unveiling of the vaccines and their first field administration in Kwale County will be closely watched as a practical demonstration of new approaches to livestock disease control in Kenya.
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