Lois Muraguri appointed CEO of GALVmed, pledges smarter collaboration for sustainable animal health

UK – Lois Muraguri has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), becoming the first African to lead the organisation in its 18-year history.

Dr Muraguri, a Kenyan and British national, takes over the leadership of the UK-based non-profit at a critical moment for the global livestock sector.

Millions of farmers in low- and middle-income countries continue to face preventable animal diseases, limited availability of veterinary products and tightening international aid budgets, even as demand for animal-source food continues to grow.

GALVmed works to make livestock vaccines and medicines more accessible, affordable and sustainably supplied, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The organisation is now entering the second half of its 2030 Strategy, with a renewed focus on strengthening market systems and country-level partnerships to deliver long-term animal health solutions.

“We are at a period of shrinking international aid budgets and reduced public spending, which lengthens the time it takes to see results in agricultural development,” said Dr Muraguri.

“This makes it more urgent for the international community, including development partners and those implementing development programmes, to strengthen country-level partnerships and market platforms that can sustain animal health systems over the long term.”

Mounting disease and productivity losses

Livestock disease remains a major constraint on productivity, incomes and food security across Africa. Outbreaks of preventable diseases such as Rift Valley Fever and Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) continue to inflict heavy economic losses, with CCPP alone estimated to cost farmers around US$507 million annually.

Disease outbreaks can reduce livestock production by up to 20% each year, undermining rural livelihoods and household resilience.

Since its founding, GALVmed reports it has supported the delivery of 1.3 billion livestock vaccines, helping avert an estimated 38.7 million animal deaths and saving the sector approximately US$359 million.

Building on this foundation, the alliance is now placing greater emphasis on ensuring that veterinary innovations reach farmers sustainably and at scale.

Dr Muraguri has also called for a shift away from fragmented, disease-specific interventions.

“A disease-by-disease approach is costly, impractical and often disconnected from what small-scale producers experience on the ground,” she said, adding that GALVmed will prioritise integrated solutions such as combination vaccines that address multiple diseases simultaneously.

Leadership transition and future direction

Dr Muraguri succeeds Dr Carolin Schumacher, GALVmed’s longest-serving CEO and its first female chief executive, who led the organisation for seven years.

“It has been both exciting and challenging to lead GALVmed over the past seven years,” said Dr Schumacher.

“Thanks to the innovative work of our partners, the dedication of our staff, and the steadfast support of our Board of Trustees, GALVmed has achieved a great deal and is well-positioned to continue serving the animal health input needs of small-scale producers in Africa.”

GALVmed Board Chair Dr Isabelle Dieuzy-Labaye said Dr Muraguri’s appointment reflects her widely recognised leadership in regulatory harmonisation across sub-Saharan Africa.

“I believe she possesses the solid experience and excellent understanding of the field to take GALVmed to the next level in fulfilling its unique mission,” she said.

With more than a decade of experience at GALVmed and a background in law, intellectual property and public–private partnerships, Dr Muraguri said her focus will be on positioning the organisation as a systems-level catalyst for sustainable animal health, as demand for animal protein in low- and middle-income countries is projected to rise by more than 20% by 2050.

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