Herders welcome livestock vaccination campaign in Somaliland

[Deeq A.]

 

Mass livestock herd immunity campaigns have been conducted in parts of Somaliland over the last two months, aiming to vaccinate 3.1 million goats and camels.

The vaccinations are to prevent the spread of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and other respiratory diseases that are prevalent during the dry season.  Awdal, Sahil, Maroodi-Jeh, Togdher, Sanaag, and Sool regions all received vaccination teams.

According to the deputy director of Somaliland’s livestock ministry, Mustafe Omar Jibriil, 60 groups of four vaccinators were fielded, targeting the camps and water sources where the livestock come to drink. The exercise finished on 28 June.

Seynab Ali Ahmed, a pastoralist in Odanle village, 190 km south of Burao, told Radio Ergo she took 33 of her goats that survived the drought to a nearby well to be vaccinated.  She left the younger ones behind thinking they would be fine, but she later regretted the choice as they now appear to be weak and have developed runny noses as the dry season begins.

The last time Seynab’s herd received any vaccination or treatment was in 2016. The livestock provide an important lifeline for Seynab and her six children.

Abshir Omar Mohamed took his livestock to a vaccination centre in Gumur village, in North-West region.  He told Radio Ergo that 21 of his goats had previously died of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), so now he never skips vaccination opportunities.

Ashir, a father of 13, supports his family with the income he gets from his 30 camels and 243 goats. This is the second consecutive year that his livestock are being vaccinated.

In March, 153,000 drought-hit animals in the coastal areas of Somaliland were treated by the ministry of livestock supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Livestock treatment for malnutrition and vaccination for measles and CCPP were last conducted in all regions by the ministry in August 2017.

Radio Ergo