The Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services has initiated El Nino preparedness in the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) hotspot regions of Wajir County.
Teaming up with the Frontier Counties Development Cooperation (FCDC) and the county government's veterinary section, a total of 32,330 animals were vaccinated, dewormed, and provided clinical treatment for sick animals this week.
Six veterinary teams were dispatched on Thursday, aiming to cover 400,000 small stocks across all six sub-counties.
Agricultural, Livestock, and Veterinary Services Executive Farah Saman urged pastoralists to present their animals for vaccination, emphasising the importance of boosting immunity and preventing disease spread within and beyond the county.
Saman said the county offered vaccination support for five days, complemented by FCDC's 14-day support, including deworming and other necessary treatments.
''The department also bought 15,00kg of native global grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) from the Wajir County Farmers Association and distributed it among farmers in Wajir County,'' he said.
Five years ago, an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in North Eastern counties left at least 13 people dead.
Hundreds have survived the haemorrhagic disease that leaves victims bleeding from most parts of their bodies, including the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Blood is also passed through patients' faeces and urine.
Those who died are said to have consumed infected meat. Samples of the meat were tested by veterinary officers and found to contain the RVF virus.
