Wajir launches 7-day livestock vaccination drive as Kenya expands regional disease control efforts

KENYA – The County Government of Wajir has launched a seven-day livestock vaccination campaign targeting more than 250,000 animals as part of ongoing efforts to control major transboundary livestock diseases and strengthen pastoral resilience in northern Kenya.

The campaign will vaccinate over 200,000 sheep and goats and 50,000 cattle across all six sub-counties, focusing on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP). 

The initiative also includes free deworming services and treatment for weak and sick animals, reflecting a broader shift toward integrated herd health management in arid and semi-arid regions.

Under the subsidised E-Voucher programme, livestock owners will pay KSh 50 per head of cattle for FMD vaccination and KSh 3 per sheep or goat for PPR vaccination, while other vaccines and treatments will be provided free of charge. 

The programme is being implemented through a partnership between the county government, the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), the National Government, and development partners under the Livestock Sector Strengthening Programme (LSS II) and the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP).

Expanding livestock vaccination drives across Kenya

The Wajir campaign is part of a wider national push to control endemic livestock diseases through coordinated vaccination programmes, particularly in pastoral and semi-pastoral counties where animal health is closely linked to household incomes and food security.

In recent months, similar mass vaccination exercises have been rolled out across several regions in Kenya. 

In neighbouring Mandera County, veterinary authorities have been intensifying PPR and CCPP vaccination drives targeting small ruminants, following periodic outbreaks that have affected herd productivity and trade flows across the Kenya–Somalia border.

In Garissa County, vaccination campaigns have also focused on FMD control in cattle populations, especially along migratory grazing corridors where cross-border livestock movement increases disease transmission risks. 

These efforts are typically coordinated with national veterinary services to align vaccine coverage and improve disease surveillance.

In northern and eastern Kenya, counties such as Marsabit and Isiolo have also implemented periodic livestock health campaigns combining vaccination, deworming, and treatment interventions. 

Development partners and regional bodies increasingly support these programmes under resilience-building frameworks aimed at reducing the impact of drought and disease shocks on pastoral systems.

Animal health officials note that FMD, PPR, and CCPP remain among the most economically significant livestock diseases in Kenya, contributing to reduced milk production, weight loss, and trade restrictions, particularly in export-oriented livestock markets.

The growing use of subsidised vaccination schemes and E-Voucher systems is intended to improve uptake among pastoralists, many of whom manage large herds across remote areas with limited access to veterinary infrastructure.

Kenya’s broader livestock health strategy is increasingly aligned with regional disease control frameworks under the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which promotes coordinated vaccination and surveillance across the Horn of Africa to limit cross-border outbreaks.

As the Wajir campaign gets underway, authorities say the combined approach of vaccination, deworming, and treatment is designed not only to reduce immediate disease incidence but also to strengthen long-term herd productivity and resilience in one of Kenya’s most livestock-dependent regions.

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