Press Release

United States Government Contributes an Additional 800,000 Doses of Rift Valley Fever Vaccine to be Used in MOLFD Campaign

Nairobi, Kenya  | Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Nairobi, 30 January 2007 - In order to combat Rift Valley Fever, the United States is donating a second shipment of 800,000 doses of livestock vaccine worth Ksh 21,000,000 ($300,000) at the request of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Department (MOLFD).  These vaccines will arrive in Kenya on Thursday February 1, 2007.  This donation, funded by USAID, is being made to assist the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Department to expand its vaccination campaign in a timely fashion to minimize the adverse social and economic impact of River Valley Fever in the country.

This contribution follows the initial support of some 450,000 doses with a value of Ksh 12,500,000 on January 10, 2007.  In addition, the United States Government is providing Ksh 2,450,000 ($35,000) of emergency in-kind support through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assist the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development and the Ministry of Health with laboratory diagnostic capacity and epidemiological investigations. Entomological support is also provided through the Walter Reed Project. We hope that these interventions, complemented by those of other donors, will support the Government of Kenya’s efforts to minimize the impact of Rift Valley Fever on the affected populations.