The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) has signed the animal disease information sharing protocol for Karamoja cluster which covers Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda.
Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) of the four countries signed the protocol at the ICPALD convened meeting, which was funded by African Development Bank (AfDB), and brought together participants from Dikhil and Karamoja clusters.
The signing of this protocol will facilitate animal disease information collection and sharing, in the cross-border areas, which is essential in supporting effective and timely decision-making, for the prevention of animal disease spread.
During the two-day meeting held from 18-19 July 2024, the joint vaccination and surveillance calendar and implementation framework was updated, with the aim of enhancing control of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) and zoonosis within the clusters. These discussions were based on the current operational cross border memoranda of understanding (MoU).
In the past, ICPALD has facilitated the signing of cross border MoU between IGAD countries, such as the Karamoja cluster MoU. The MoU not only enhance joint disease surveillance and synchronized vaccination but also livestock trade.
As a preventive measure, this disease surveillance practice helps reduce animal health-related risks and major consequences of disease outbreaks on food production and livelihoods. A transparent veterinary service, which undertakes prompt and accurate disease notification assists bordering countries to undertake timely action and builds credibility amongst trading partners. Likewise, the practice promotes fair and safe animal and animal products trade.