United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 100,000 doses of Anthrax vaccine in support of the government and the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Anthrax Vaccination Campaign.
The vaccination project, which is expected to cover about one million animals across the five regions of the north, is aimed at safeguarding animal lives and ensuring that consumers of such products are eating healthy food.
Anthrax is a serious, potentially life-threatening infectious disease that is passed from animals to humans. Vaccination campaigns for animals like cattle, sheep and goats prevent the disease from occurring in animals, reducing the risk of transmission to humans
USAID Ghana Mission Director, Kimberly Rosen, speaking at the launch ceremony at Kpalung in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region, highlighted that Anthrax is not only a threat to human lives and livestock, but it is also a threat to economic prosperity and food security.
“Anthrax not only threatens human life; when it destroys livestock, it also threatens economic prosperity and food security. During our tour of the Central Veterinary Laboratory this morning, it was clear that with some automation and more investment, the lab could produce larger quantities of vaccines to meet the national market and also be exported. More vaccines mean healthier animals, safer humans and potential revenue and job creation for the Veterinary Service Department,” she added.
She expanded that globally, about 75 percent of emerging infectious disease threats originate from animals; adding that this coincides with an increasing number of people around the world who are living in proximity to animals due to deforestation, climate change and a variety of other factors.
Therefore, such a vaccination programme would help reduce the high risk of transmission of the disease to humans.
She indicated that USAID is partnering with the FAO to provide technical support for the vaccination campaign and monitor its roll-out across northern Ghana.
“We are also funding the USAID Accelerating Social and Behavior Change Project to create awareness of the need for vaccinating animals”, she added.
In May 2023, Ghana experienced an outbreak of Anthrax, affecting six districts in the Upper East Region. A total of 97 animals died from the Anthrax outbreak. Thirteen suspected human anthrax cases were detected, including one death.
The government and its partners worked quickly to contain the outbreak; but to prevent future outbreaks, yearly animal vaccination is recommended.
While commending the government for its quick response during the outbreak in the Upper West region last year, the USAID Mission Director also urged the government and other partners to sustain their support to make this vaccination campaign exercise and future campaigns a success.
National Veterinary Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Cudjoe, on his part, said: “Through the implementation of this Anthrax Vaccination Campaign, we are taking proactive steps to protect our livestock and prevent the spread of this devastating disease. Each vaccine administered represents a shield of protection and a barrier against the ravages of anthrax,”
He added that the success of this campaign relies not only on the vaccine distribution, but also on the collective effort and dedication of every individual involved.
