USAID donates 100,000 anthrax vaccines to Ghana gov't for mass vaccination campaign

Ghanaian

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated 100,000 doses of anthrax vaccines to the Ghanaian government.

These vaccines, according to Graphic Online, procured from the Vaccine Production Unit of the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Pong-Tamale, are part of efforts to boost local production and support the government's planned mass vaccination campaign against anthrax.

The campaign

Read full articleaims to vaccinate over one million animals across the five regions of northern Ghana.

The donation follows an anthrax outbreak in May 2023 in parts of the Upper East Region, resulting in the death of one person and several livestock. The outbreak was eventually contained through a mass vaccination campaign by the government.

USAID's Ghana Mission Director, Kimberly Rosen, presented the vaccines at the launch of the mass vaccination campaign in Kpallaung, a farming community in the Savelugu Municipality.

She highlighted the importance of anthrax vaccination in preventing outbreaks that threaten both animal and human lives, as well as food security and economic prosperity. She emphasized the need to prioritize cattle, sheep, and goats for vaccination due to their higher risk of transmitting the disease to humans.

Dr. Benita Anderson, Deputy National Director of Veterinary Services, commended USAID for the donation, noting that anthrax also poses a threat to farmers' livelihoods and the country's food supply chain.

She assured that in addition to the vaccination campaign, her office would implement other proactive measures to protect livestock and prevent future outbreaks, including rolling out a vaccination plan for all communities in the five regions.

Hawa Musah, Northern Regional Director of Agriculture, advised the public to ensure their animals are presented for vaccination, underscoring the importance of community participation in preventing anthrax outbreaks.

The donation of vaccines and the launch of the mass vaccination campaign represent a collaborative effort between the government and international partners to safeguard public health and animal welfare.