Sh3.8m lab equipment to curb livestock diseases

Veterinary staff from Marsabit county inspect some of the Sh3.8 million veterinary laboratory equipment donated through the Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DRSLP) project in Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, which is also being piloted in Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Isiolo. BY JOSEPH MUCHIRI/STANDARD

The county has received veterinary laboratory equipment worth Sh3.8 million to help in the fight against livestock diseases.

The equipment was donated through the Agriculture ministry's Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DRSLP), which is also being piloted in Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Isiolo.

National Director of Veterinary Services Kisia Juma said although livestock is a major contributor to food and nutrition security in the county, livestock deaths were still high due to diseases. He said livestock-human diseases such as brucellosis were also on the rise.

In January, over 250 camels suddenly died in the county following a disease outbreak suspected to be trypanosomiasis, haemorrhagic septicaemia and heart water diseases.

Mr Juma said the diseases could partly be attributed to declining veterinary laboratory services in the country. "To end this problem, the project is equipping veterinary laboratories with the aim to at lower livestock mortality and general losses of income due to poor livestock body conditions," he said.

He said veterinary laboratory services were important in the livestock value chain and that was why the Government was facilitating them through DRSLP.

Juma asked the county to make good use of the equipment given so as to reduce the incidence of livestock diseases. He asked the county government to provide qualified staff now that the project had provided equipment.

Governor Ukur Yatani said the county had the highest number of small stock - goats and sheep - in the country, while its economy was largely dependent on livestock. "This is why my government is keen on embracing partnership with the national government and development partners," he said.