The ECOWAS Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC) has warned that about 157 million goats and 110 million sheep across West Africa, including Ghana, are at risk from a highly contagious viral disease known as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), commonly called sheep and goat plague.
According to the centre, the disease can kill up to 90 percent of infected animals, posing a serious threat to livestock production and the livelihoods of farmers across the sub-region.
Although PPR cannot be transmitted to humans, experts say a major outbreak could disrupt livestock supply and lead to higher prices for goat meat in the region.
Executive Director of the centre, Koffi Eugene, said livestock farming in West Africa is closely connected across national borders.
“Livestock farming in the sub-region is characterised by transhumance and cross-border movements of livestock from Sahelian countries to coastal countries in search of better pastures and water points to secure the herds and ensure their productivity,” he explained.
To prevent the spread of the disease, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is rolling out coordinated mass vaccination campaigns across member states.
Dr Eugene said vaccination remains one of the most effective tools for controlling transboundary animal diseases such as PPR.
