Smarter collaboration at the heart of new GALVmed CEO’s vision

UK –  Smarter, more sustainable collaboration is essential to improving animal health and transforming the livestock sector in developing countries, according to Dr Lois Muraguri, the newly appointed CEO of the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed).

Dr Muraguri, a Kenyan and British national, takes the helm as the first African to lead GALVmed in its 18-year history. 

She steps into the role at a critical juncture, as millions of small-scale livestock producers in low- and middle-income countries continue to struggle with limited access to veterinary medicines, shrinking aid budgets, and growing demand for animal-source food.

A sector in need of systemic change

Outbreaks of preventable diseases such as Rift Valley Fever and Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) cost farmers dearly, with CCPP alone carrying an annual economic burden of about US$507 million. 

Disease outbreaks can slash livestock production by up to 20% annually, undermining rural livelihoods and food security.

GALVmed has worked to address these gaps since its founding, delivering 1.3 billion livestock vaccines that have helped avert 38.7 million animal deaths and saved the sector an estimated US$359 million. 

Now entering the second half of its 2030 Strategy, the alliance is intensifying efforts to expand the availability and adoption of veterinary products in sub-Saharan Africa.

“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.”

She added that the focus should be on collaborating to ensure animal health innovations reach farmers sustainably and at scale.

From single-disease to integrated solutions

Dr Muraguri is also calling for a shift away from siloed approaches in animal health. “A disease-by-disease approach is costly, impractical and often disconnected from what small-scale producers experience on the ground,” she said. Instead, GALVmed will champion integrated solutions such as combination vaccines that address multiple diseases at once, helping farmers improve productivity and resilience.

Her leadership coincides with the FAO’s Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation in Rome, which is spotlighting the need for actionable solutions to drive large-scale change in the sector. 

With demand for animal protein in low- and middle-income countries expected to rise by over 20 per cent by 2050, Dr Muraguri emphasised embedding veterinary solutions into broader agricultural and financial systems to secure lasting benefits for smallholder households.

A legacy of leadership

Dr Muraguri succeeds Dr Carolin Schumacher, who served as GALVmed’s first female and longest-serving CEO. 

“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. I’m pleased to be handing over to Lois, who has been instrumental in shaping GALVmed’s outreach for over a decade.”

GALVmed Board Chair Dr Isabelle Dieuzy-Labaye hailed the appointment, noting that through her widely acknowledged work on regulatory harmonisation in sub-Saharan Africa, Lois has become a highly visible, respected, and influential leader. 

“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.”

As she steps into her new role, Dr Muraguri brings more than a decade of experience at GALVmed, where she spearheaded efforts to strengthen regulatory systems and forge partnerships across public and private sectors. 

With her background in law, intellectual property, and public-private engagement, she is positioning the organisation to act as a “systems-level catalyst” for sustainable animal health solutions.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.