National Strategy for the prevention and control of anthrax in humans and animals in Kenya (2021-2036).

This Strategy describes Kenya’s approach for prevention and control of anthrax, ranked as the highest zoonotic disease, whose disease burden and economic impact in Kenya are often underestimated because of suboptimal surveillance systems in public health, livestock and wildlife sectors. As anthrax primarily affects herbivores and is characterised by sudden deaths of susceptible animals, humans often get infected through exposure and contact with infected animals or their products. Therefore, the goal of this Strategy is to eliminate anthrax in humans and reduce animal cases, through integrated interventions, such as sustained livestock vaccinations, enhanced surveillance, proper carcass disposal and public education. This National anthrax prevention and control Strategy is based on activities planned for the country to move from an endemic state to a disease elimination status by 2036, throughout four phases. Its development requires multi-sectoral collaborative approach with the involvement and support of many stakeholders. The mission of the Strategy aims at progressively reducing and eliminating animal and human Anthrax in Kenya through sustained surveillance, proper disposal of carcasses and contaminated materials, animal vaccination, treatment in humans and creating community awareness through the One Health approach.
The Strategy identifies eight specific objectives: enhancing coordination, collaboration and partnership structures for anthrax prevention and control; strengthening prevention and control of anthrax in animals and humans; strengthening surveillance, reporting system and outbreak response; enhancing laboratory diagnostic capacity of anthrax across the country; promoting risk communication among stakeholders on anthrax; advocating for operational research and innovation on anthrax; promoting biosafety and biosecurity measures at all levels; facilitating resource mobilisation for the implementation of the strategy. Thematic areas of implementation include: partnerships and multi-sectoral collaboration among public and private sectors; reporting and surveillance system; enforcement of food safety regulation; enhanced traceability of animals and animal products; raising public awareness on the risk of Anthrax for communities; capacity building; funding plan and resource mobilisation.