Vets alarmed by rising number of quacks in livestock sector

A government veterinarian vaccinates livestock in Naivasha on October 21, 2014. [File, Standard]

The Kenya Veterinary Paraprofessional Association (KVPA) has called for deployment of more inspection officers from Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) to address the rising numbers of quacks in the veterinary sector.

The Association has noted that the numbers are on the rise against a limited number of inspectors in the country, raising fears among players in the livestock sector.

Currently, the Kenya Veterinary Board has only three offices in the country, a move that has exposed farmers to service from quacks.

According to KVPA national chairman John Ngigi, the most affected were rural areas where the quacks were having a field day.

Ngigi noted that the move had led to an increase in cases of drug residue in livestock products, thus endangering the lives of consumers.

“We are worried by the number of quacks who have invaded this sector, and we are calling on the Kenya Veterinary Board to take decisive action,” he said.

 The chairman added that the situation had been worsened by the influx of fake and sub-standard veterinary products into the country from neighbouring counties

“We have seen an influx of fake veterinary products into the country, and most of them are sold on market days to unsuspecting farmers across the country,” he said.

Speaking in Naivasha, Ngigi attributed the current crisis to a shortage of staff at the KVB, noting that there were only three offices in the country.

 “The government should open the Kenya Veterinary Board in all the 47 counties and post officers there to assist in inspection while dealing with the menace of quacks,” he said.

Ngigi also raised concerns over continued harassment by the Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD), which has seen the arbitrary arrest of their members and closure of over 100 agrovets.

Ngigi, the traders were incurring losses running into millions of shillings due to the harassment as quacks continued to practice across the country.

“We have hundreds of quacks who are operating freely, but this government agency is targeting licensed traders, and this exercise will affect food production,” he said.

Flanked by members of the association, he said that the action by the directorate was unprofessional and would have adverse effects on the agriculture sector.

“It should be clear that no law gives the Veterinary Medicine Directorate a wholesome mandate when it comes to the operation of Agrovet,” he said.

He further noted that the delay and failure in drug registration by the directorate were endangering the livestock industry, which currently was facing an acute shortage of Veterinary Surgeons.