Government plans to eradicate rabies in Kenya by 2030, PS says.

 Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili{L} consult with the PS in the State Department of Livestock Dr. Andrew Tuimur during the official opening of the Kenya Veterinary Association Scientific Conference in Kisumu on Wednesday.The PS says the Government plans to eradicate rabies by the year 2030-Photo By James Keyi.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

September 28, 2017.

Government plans to eradicate rabies in Kenya by 2030, PS says.

THE Government is fully committed in ensuring that the rabies disease caused by dogs is eradicated by the year 2030, a Principal Secretary has said.

The Principal Secretary in the State Department of Livestock Andrew Tuimur says a strategy has already been developed to ensure that the disease is eradicated in the country by the year 2030.

He says the strategy is known as Rabies Elimination Strategy 2014-2030.

Speaking in Kisumu during the official opening Kenya Veterinary Association Scientific Conference, Tuimur said the Government plans to have zero deaths as a result of rabies disease by the year 2030.

He says the disease kills about 2,000 people in Kenya and 6,000 people worldwide annually hence the need to ensure it is kicked out of the country.

“The government has come up with the rabies disease elimination strategy so as to help in eradicating the disease by the year 2030 and we are fully committed in ensuring that this is done,” he says.

The Principal Secretary urges the county Governments across the country to ensuring that they allocate funds to the veterinary departments to help in its programs.

He says the county Governments should also ensure vaccination is done to various animals especially to dogs which cause rabies.

The PS at the same time warns against the misuse of veterinary drugs by unqualified people who even end up carrying out vaccinations to animals despite being not vetted and approved by the Kenya Veterinary Board.

The Kenya Veterinary Board Chairman Dr. Mwenda Mbaka says only those who have been duly vetted and approved by the board should carry out vaccination and other duties as specified in the laws governing veterinary services in the country.

He says the board will be moving across different parts of the country to carry out inspections in a bid to weed out quacks trying to administer veterinary services.

Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili says the County Government intends to put enough funds in the Department of Veterinary so as to help in rolling out its programs among them the vaccination of dogs to help in preventing the spread of rabies.

He says all the major stakeholders should be fully involved in the rabies eradication strategy by the year 2030.

“As a county government, we will deliberately put funds where it matters be it in the veterinary department and any other so as to help in supporting programs,” Dr. Owili says.

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