Delivery of animal health services
in extensive livestock production
systems in Kenya
T.N Manga
Directorate of Veterinary Services,
Kenya
Workshop 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.