NOREB counties officials after meeting on livestock associated diseases, January 7, 2018. [Photo|Uasin Gishu County Government]The NOREB Counties are soon going to develop a concrete vaccination strategy that will see its region free from livestock associated diseases.This was part of the numerous deliberations that arose from a consultative meeting on disease control strategy that constituted representatives from four Noreb Counties of Uasin Gishu, Nandi Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet.The meeting held on Saturday discussed possible solutions to the rampant Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) that has recently caused havoc to cattle across the region.According to the livestock officers drawn from the four Counties, vaccination has been going on since the outbreak was mentioned but it is still persistence irrespective of the earlier intervention.Uasin Gishu Agriculture and Cooperative Development CeC Samuel Yego while chairing the meeting, noted that Noreb Counties had closed down all the livestock auctioning venues since the outbreak so as to pave way for maximum control of the diseases."This has raised serious concerns as to whether the vaccines are genuine or not" said Wilson Taiy, CEC for Agriculture and Cooperative Development in Nandi county."We have contacted the Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) with various disease samples so that they can give us a lasting solution after extensive research and lab investigations," noted a veterinary officer from Uasin Gishu County.It should be remembered that in August last year, the FMD type A and B hit Kipkorgot area in Uasin Gishu and barely two months after vaccination it reoccurred.The same scenario was witnessed in Kapseret after LSD outbreak continued to spread despite treatment in Kesses, Moiben and Turbo Sub Counties. This concern was raised by a vaccination officer in Uasin Gishu County.The officers issued out an advisory to farmers across the region to be keen on Bio-security urging them to turn out in large numbers and take advantage of waivers on vaccination offered by their respective County Governments.Uasin Gishu County Secretary Peter Leley emphasized the need to factor in the agriculture committee members in the County Assemblies as part of the task force that will formulate a disease control policy.Present was the Elgeyo Marakwet Agriculture and Cooperative Development CeC Joseph Kiyeng, County Officer Dr. Victoria Tarus and various veterinarians.

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