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{
"id": 183870,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/183870/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Duale",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Livestock Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 15,
"legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
"slug": "aden-duale"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) Yes, I am aware that there is the RVF outbreak in Kenya, including north and central Turkana. Prediction of the imminent outbreak of the RVF in this country was made through satellite remote sensing, which was published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the African Union (AU) and Fusenet, among others. I am also aware of confirmed clinical RVF in Southern Sudan between January and June, 2008, as reported to the WHO, animal section, known as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). It is important to note that the RVF mostly occurs in areas where there has been an outbreak previously as a result of heavy flooding. We are expecting, according to reports, to receive heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in the major arid and semi arid lands (ASAL) regions. (b) I would like to clarify that my Ministry provides veterinary services in North and Central Turkana Districts, as well as in other parts of the country. It is important to note that there are five veterinary officers and 11 animal health assistants in the said two districts. In addition, there are three veterinary surgeons, three diploma holders and nine animal health technicians in private practice in these two districts. However, I would like to clarify to this House that the 2724 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 15, 2008 number of personnel in our Ministry is not adequate, but we are in the process of doing a major recruitment this year. As regards measures taken to avert the imminent RVF outbreak, after receiving the alert, we have put in place the following measures. (i) To date, 1.2 million doses of RVF vaccine are available in the country at our main Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute (KEVEVAPI), and are being procured for further urgent distribution. This 1.2 million doses of vaccine will be disbursed to the high risk areas of North Eastern, Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern and Central Provinces, with a target protection of six million animals. (ii) The multi-sectoral RVF working group, compromising of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and the Ministry of Medical Services, has been re-activated and has met twice to monitor the early preparedness and response initiative. (iii) Liaison has already been established at the regional level with the FAO and the AU in collaboration with the neighbouring countries under Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the East Africa Community (EAC). Further, the Ministry is getting an additional amount of Kshs346,033,000 from the Treasury for capacity building, surveillance and early preparedness response plans against the RVF. (iv) Finally, the Ministry, through the Public Service Commission (PSC), is in the process of recruiting 100 veterinary surgeons and 145 animal health technicians to increase the capacity for fast-tracking the process of eradicating the RVF and other major trade-related diseases like Avian Influenza, Foot and Mouth disease and Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR). Thank you."
}