At the High-level meeting on the prevention and control of the Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) et la Food and Mouth Disease (FMD) in April 2019 in Freetown-Sierra Leone, Ministers in their deliberations noted the devastation of animal diseases, particularly PPR and FMD to food and nutrition security, income generation and improved livelihoods of rural smallholder livestock farmers and households. A synchronized work plan was validated, and a roadmap formulated for the control and eradication of PPR and FMD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Following this meeting, focal points met in Bamako from 3 to 4 October 2019 and planned the implementation of the PPR and FMD control Project in the three pilot target countries.

After documents review, plenary and group discussions, expertsfrom the target 3 countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and resource persons were able to review the formulated roadmap to suit current exigencies and plan for the launch of the vaccination campaign before the end of the year. The agreed plan for mass vaccination campaign includes using cheaper and efficient identification tool for the mass vaccination campaign, but mainly focusses on complying with the policies of the countries involved as well as intense awareness creation. The animal health networks will be useful in delivering the field vaccination, deworming, surveillance, as well as laboratory and veterinary services delivery. Animal identification is also key in this pilot project towards controlling and eradicating the two diseases in the region.

PPR and FMD are viral contagious diseases with the potential to cause significant economic losses to livestock farmers due to high levels of morbidity and mortality in small ruminants. These diseases are notifiable and are a major constraint to trade in livestock in the region. Furthermore, the endemic nature of these diseases poses a threat to the development of the livestock sector particularly among smallholder producers that depend on few numbers of animals for their livelihoods.

The PPR and FMD control project is being coordinated by the ECOWAS Regional Animal Health Center with the financial support of the Swiss Development Cooperation, and the contribution of the ECOWAS Commission and its Member States of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.