GALVmed & Malawi: Addressing Africa’s Livestock Health Needs

Scotland – Malawi Partnership: Malawi Cross Party Group

Peter Jeffries; Chief Executive

5th February 2014

GALVmed purpose, mission & vision

Purpose of GALVmed

Protecting Livestock – Improving Human Lives

Mission of GALVmed

To make a real difference to the livelihoods of resource-poor livestock keepers by facilitating provision of animal health tools, within a sustainable economic framework

Vision of GALVmed

Better livestock health contributing to a transformational improvement in the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers

Overview – GALVmed modus operandi

Animal Health Industry

Donors

Governments

Livestock Keepers

Universities

GALVmed

Potential

Solutions

Identified Need

Innovation

Research Institutions Pro Poor Impact through

sustainable Animal Health

Solutions

Centre for Ticks & Tick-borne Diseases

• Lilongwe, Malawi

• Centre of Excellence for Africa in Ticks & Tick-borne diseases

• Vaccine production (predominantly East Coast Fever vaccine)

• Consultancy

• Knowledge transfer

• African Union owned

• Highly qualified & motivated staff

• Adequate infrastructure

• Chronically under-funded

A Malawi-based organisation meeting Africa’s needs

The impact of ECF

MalawiZambia

Zimbabwe

Botswana

Mozambique

South-Africa

DRC

Uganda Kenya

Tanzania

Sudan Ethiopia

Somalia

Angola

Namibia

• 11 countries of eastern, central and southern Africa

• Cost per year:

estimated US$260 million

East Coast fever (ECF)

• Single biggest killer of cattle in Africa

• >25 million cattle at risk, kills more than 1 million cattle yearly

• Carried by ticks

• 40-50% mortality in cattle

• Survivors are robustly protected

How good is the vaccine?

• Highly effective: life time immunity after one injection

• Based on old, rather crude technology

• Infection & treat

• Expensive to administer (vaccine + concurrent treatment: $6-10) but price is not a fundamental constraint

• Difficult to manage cold chain (liquid nitrogen)

• Great basis for building a private sector veterinary service

• Veterinarian required for administration

• Technical expertise is required

• Farmers recognise the value of the vaccine

Infection & Treatment Method

How has GALVmed helped to empower CTTBD?

Protecting livestock – improving human lives