A novel combination vaccine has been launched in Kenya to help protect the country’s sheep and goat herds against three of the most common and devastating diseases.
The new vaccine, which was unveiled at the 60th Kenya Veterinary Association Congress in Diani, is the first to offer protection against Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), Sheep and Goat Pox (SGP), and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in a single shot.
CCPP is one of the most common diseases among the goat population, especially in pastoral areas, and can cost the average farmer an estimated KSh 260,000 a year in losses. SGP is also highly contagious and can affect up to 80 per cent of a herd, while PPR, which kills up to 70 per cent of affected animals, has been the target of a global eradication campaign since 2015.
The new vaccine was developed by Jordan Bio-Industries Center (JOVAC) as part of an initiative led by the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), which partnered with several animal health companies to produce a range of new combination vaccines.
The Veterinary Innovations Transforming Animal Health and Livelihoods (VITAL) project, now in its second phase, also resulted in four other combination vaccines that are currently undergoing regulatory review.
“Combination vaccines are the veterinarian’s multitool, providing protection against multiple diseases in one shot to save time, money and resources,” said Dr. Lois Muraguri, Chief Executive Officer of GALVmed.
“For livestock keepers who are already stretched thin, combination vaccines make the decision to immunise their livestock more viable and straightforward, increasing the possible levels of protection against damaging diseases.
“Today marks the culmination of years of science, partnerships and regulatory navigation to deliver the Combo vaccine Kit and the dawn of a new era for animal disease prevention in Kenya and neighbouring East African countries.”
The product developed by JOVAC uses the latest in vaccine technology including a novel stabilizer to improve stability as well as a live vaccine for CCPP, which provides greater efficacy than vaccines using an inactivated antigen.
It will be administered for the first time in Kenya at a farm in Kwale county on Saturday, April 25, which is also World Veterinary Day.
Other ruminant vaccines developed as part of the VITAL project include a combination vaccine for SGP and PPR, developed by Hester Biosciences Limited. M.C.I Santé Animale also developed a combination vaccine for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) with the option of concurrent vaccination against Rift Valley Fever (RVF), which is currently under registration in Kenya and expected to be launched in 2026,. GALVmed is also working with other partners, such as MSD Animal Health, to increase ruminant vaccination across Africa.
The burden of livestock diseases remains high in Kenya, where the annual cost to the economy of RVF and CBPP is estimated at KSh 4.1 billion (USD 32 million) and KSh 982 million (USD 7.6 million), respectively.
“Many of the most common livestock diseases in Kenya are preventable with the right tools, but developing and deploying them to Kenyan farmers has proven challenging until now,” said Dr Samson Muchelule, CEO of Kenya Veterinary Association.
“The VITAL 2 project is demonstrating how public and private sectors can work together to deliver vaccines that make disease prevention easier and more cost-effective for farmers.”
