Stakeholders in Ghana’s livestock sector have called for the strengthening of the country’s National Strategic Plan for the eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) to help achieve the global target of eliminating the disease by 2030.
The call was made at a two-day National Review Workshop in Accra last Wednesday to assess and revise the strategy in line with updated regional and continental eradication frameworks.
The workshop brought together officials from the Veterinary Services Directorate, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), NADMO, regional veterinary officers and livestock experts.
Strategy review
Opening the workshop, the Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Emmanuel Allegye-Cudjoe, said PPR remains one of the most devastating transboundary animal diseases affecting sheep and goats across Africa, with serious implications for food security, incomes and livelihoods.
He said although progress had been made in controlling the disease, there was a need to revise the national strategy to reflect current realities, lessons from implementation and emerging scientific evidence.
Dr Allegye-Cudjoe said the revised strategy should strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostic capacity, vaccination coverage and stakeholder coordination, adding that sustained investment would be key to achieving a PPR-free Ghana by 2030.
He urged participants to critically review the strategy, identify gaps and recommend practical interventions to strengthen eradication efforts.
AU-IBAR support
The Director of the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), Dr Huyam Salih, in an address read on his behalf by the ECOWAS Regional Coordinator for PPR Eradication, Dr Perdita Hilary Lopes, said the eradication of PPR is not only an animal health intervention but also a strategic investment in food security, poverty reduction and rural development.
She said the disease continues to cause significant economic losses to livestock farmers across Africa.
He called for an evidence-based and implementable strategy with clear priorities, measurable targets, realistic timelines and sustainable financing mechanisms.
He commended the Government of Ghana for progress made in strengthening veterinary services, improving disease surveillance and maintaining strong collaboration with regional and international partners.
Dr Salih reaffirmed AU-IBAR’s commitment to supporting Ghana through technical assistance, capacity building and regional coordination towards the continental eradication goal.
FAO support
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), represented by Dr Anthony Akunzule, said the organisation is working with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to support the global framework for the progressive control of transboundary animal diseases, including PPR.
