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Eradicating PPR depends on investing in Veterinary Services

PPR Veterinary Services_animal health workers vaccinating a goat
Small ruminants, like sheep and goats, are often the most critical – and sometimes the only – asset populations rely on for survival, playing a critical role in lives of farmers in many areas. This is particularly true for women and youth who are often intimately involved in their daily care. These animals provide manure for fertilising crops, act as insurance for crop failure and drought, and contribute to food security and nutrition, livelihoods, national economic development and the overall well-being of people.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) – a devastating, highly contagious viral disease that poses a severe threat to sheep, goats and certain species of wild ruminants – jeopardises the economic development and security of the more than 330 million people worldwide who depend on them. Its morbidity and mortality rates, which can reach up to 100% in naïve populations, cause economic losses of up to USD 2.1 billion annually due to reduced productivity, lowered herd income, loss of livestock and trade opportunities, disruption of supply chains, exclusion from lucrative markets, treatment and vaccination costs, and job losses in the sector. 

A coordinated strategy to combat PPR

Since its first identification in 1942, PPR has spread to more than 70 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, becoming entrenched in many regions and posing a serious threat to livelihoods and local economies. In 2015, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) launched the PPR Global Control and Eradication Strategy (PPR GCES) with the ambitious goal of eradicating the disease by 2030.  

Eradicating PPR would amount to much more than just the global eradication of an infectious disease. It would address security challenges, reduce illegal livestock movement and manage migration, especially amid growing instability and shocks from climate change. Beyond this, eliminating the disease could improve productivity, food security, income generation and social empowerment. Improving the health of small ruminant populations, can empower women and inch us closer to gender equity. 

Transforming veterinary services with public-private partnerships 

The continued spread of PPR and its entrenchment in endemic areas, which is exacerbated by limited access to veterinary services for marginalised communities, present real challenges in its eradication. However, successful PPR vaccine campaigns Morocco and the Sahel Regional Project Supporting Pastoralism (PRAPS) which targets PPR control in the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal) clearly demonstrate that, with investment in Veterinary Services and incorporating vaccination in addition to biosecurity measures, eradicating PPR is indeed doable.  

Morocco has been investing in developing its private veterinary sector since the 1980s, and in doing so, the country has encouraged veterinary professionals to establish practices in rural areas to ensure regular support to farmers. The far-reaching presence of Morocco’s veterinary workforce provides an effective network of professionals whom animal health authorities rely on when vaccination campaigns need to be deployed.

We have a well-developed private veterinary sector in almost every region of Morocco, which provides significant support in conducting livestock vaccination campaigns against several animal diseases, particularly PPR, helping us to achieve a very high vaccination coverage rate.

Dr. Abderrahman Abouyassir, 
WOAH Delegate for Morocco.

 “Their support has been crucial in reaching our objectives, particularly in covering as many livestock farmers as possible at national level, as well as raising awareness and motivating farmers to participate in the vaccination campaigns.”, explains Dr. Abderrahman Abouyassir.

Eradicating PPR does not only benefit sheep and goats, but also about livelihoods, people’s nutrition and health, local economies, and access to education and health care. By fighting diseases such as PPR, veterinary professionals and paraprofessionals contribute to improving animal health and welfare and work towards a better life for our society. Creating lasting veterinary infrastructure for quality vaccine production, diagnostics and training of community animal care workers not only addresses animal disease but also addresses broader global challenges. In areas where women are often underrepresented in formal veterinary systems and decision-making processes, for example, training them as community animal health workers could not only strengthens animal health services but also empower them with skills, recognition, and a more impactful voice in their communities. 

WOAH encourages its Members to remain committed to eradicating PPR through renewed investment in veterinary services. By keeping animals safe, Members protect and empower their communities and keep their economies growing. A well-trained, well-equipped veterinary workforce is essential to ensure the health and well-being of animals and the people who depend on them. Together, we can safeguard livelihoods, strengthen food security, and build a resilient future for communities dependent on small ruminants for their livelihoods.