African Union steps up bid to eradicate disease
Posted by Mwangi Maina on 17 March 2022 6:00 AM CAT
The African Union InterAfrica Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) has launched a fresh push to eradicate pestes des petits ruminants in the continent.
The AU-IBAR ag. Director Dr. Nick Nwankpa said the viral disease that is contagious as well as transboundary is hurting the livelihoods of millions of livestock farmers on the continent and it is a major threat to food security.
According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), it estimates that the viral diseases cause economic losses of up to $2.1 billion in areas where it is endemic putting at risk over 300 million families that rely on livestock as their major source of livelihood.
The regions affected by PPR include; Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe where about 1.7 billion population of livestock, about 80 per cent of the global livestock population.
Addressing a meeting to validate the Pan-African PPR control and eradication program 2022-2026, held at the AU-IBAR offices in Nairobi, Dr. Nwankpa said, the pestes des petits ruminants is now endemic in nearly the whole of Africa hence the need to increase efforts to eradicate the deadly animal disease.
He further added that the control and eradication of the disease requires a phased, risk-based approach with well-coordinated and harmonized activities across all regions in Africa.
The continental body Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) will commemorate the 70th anniversary since its formation and the 10th anniversary of rinderpest eradication on Friday in Nairobi in an event that will be attended by Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta.
