Vaccination drive at Samburu county of Kenya by the KVA wildlife branch

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2019, several government and non-governmental organizations partnered to link efforts in disease reduction in domestic animals in the Samburu region. In 23 days, over 80 people assisted in the vaccination of 2,642 animals against deadly rabies and distemper viruses across a region spanning over 10,000 kilometers squared. Over 1,200 households benefited from the project to protect their families and the wildlife living in their communities’ against the spread of these diseases.

INTRODUCTION

Zoonotic diseases pose critical risk to human populations in both rural and urban environments. Infectious disease poses a critical extinction risk to several endangered wild carnivores. While northern Kenya was not selected as a priority region for the Government of Kenya in the first phase of a National Rabies Elimination Strategy, the Samburu County Department of Veterinary Services has a plan of vaccinating 5000 dogs annually and together with its partners, recognize the growing concern over disease risks in domestic dog, human and wildlife populations in the County. In previous years, several campaigns were randomly led by organisations working on behalf of or in collaboration with the County, but this is the first year that partnerships with private vets and conservation organisations linked to carry out joint campaigns aimed at filling gaps in vaccinations on a County range scale. Ongoing awareness drives and cross sectional sampling of domestic dogs will continue to evaluate the impact of the campaigns in controlling the spread of rabies and canine distemper in this region. This project can act as a model in other regions to eradicate the risk of uncontrolled spread of rabies and distemper by domestic animals.

IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATIONS FOR HUMANS

Kenya’s government adopted the “National Rabies Elimination Strategy 2014-2030” to eliminate rabies within its borders by 2030. Rabies is a viral illness affecting the central nervous system and is one of the world’s most threatening zoonotic diseases. Rural populations, especially children below 15
years, are at greatest risk of rabies exposure, with 98% of human rabies transmitted by dog bites. An estimated 2,000 human deaths due to rabies occur annually in Kenya [1]. Elimination of rabies is achievable through mass dog vaccination and awareness campaigns [2]. Annual regional vaccination of 70% of the domestic dog population can essentially wipe out the rabies risk to humans and wildlife in five years.

IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATIONS FOR WILDLIFE

While decreasing risk of human rabies, the vaccination of domestic dogs also reduces the risks to wildlife and other domestic stock. Although little research has been carried out on the role of wild carnivores in the sustenance and spread of rabies and distemper, observational reports (unpublished)
indicate that cases of dog bites are observed around wildlife habitats. Research indicates that the presence of rabies and distemper in domestic dog populations poses a serious threat to wild carnivores such as the critically endangered wild dogs [3]. Distemper outbreaks have led to rapid declines in wild dog numbers between 2017 and 2019. Many other wild carnivores are also impacted by rabies as well as by canine and feline distemper. Annual vaccination drives in Laikipia through the Laikipia Rabies Vaccination Campaign have been encouraging and inspired partners/conservationists/vets across the Ewaso Nyiro River to embark on vaccinations in Samburu County to work towards ensuring connectivity of vaccinations across county borders.

2019-2020 SUMMARY

The Samburu County Government Veterinary Services has a target of vaccinating 5000 dogs against rabies annually, as outlined in the Samburu County Integrated Development Plan. It was found to be crucial that planned vaccination campaigns include distemper in addition to rabies. Through collaborating with various partners, a total of 2642 animals (mainly dogs) were vaccinated against both rabies and distemper between 2019 and 2020. This was initiated following a Kenya Veterinary Association (Wildlife Branch) workshop bringing stakeholders and partners together in July 2019.