Annual Report SR-CRSP SOCIOLOGY

Animal Health Management Through Biotechnology

II Research (continued)

Activity III: Vaccine Development Production Distribution and Use in Kenya: The case of CCPP

Problem Statement and Approach

Computation of the costs of production and the costs of delivery of CCPP were carried out last year. Estimating supply shortfalls of the vaccine would have been done if linkages were established with KEVEVAPI to access information from the vaccine production agency, and if additional funds were identified.

Progress

This activity depended on obtaining additional funds. These were not identified. Research collaboration with KEVEVAPI started in October of 1995, therefore this activity will be carried out this year 1995-1996.

A major objective of the animal health project of the SR-CRSP has been to provide long term solutions to disease related constraints to small ruminant production. The most significant contribution to flow from research by KARI and SR-CRSP scientists was the development of a vaccine against CCPP resulting from mycoplasma strain F38. This vaccine created and produced during the 1980s, was improved through the process of freeze drying.

The socio-economic importance and constraints to the use of animal health practices and veterinary services for small ruminants remains an area in need of research. Also, privatization of delivery systems is an additional and new factor that may influence the process of distribution and use of vaccines.

The focus of socio-economics research in this area concerns the identification, categorization and stratification of users (government, NGO's, veterinary services providers, and farmers) as well as elucidation of the conditions affecting demand, including social, cultural, and economic factors explaining use and adoption.

The present research activity is to span three areas of analysis, which are: production of CCPP in the two forms, and the comparison of the production costs of both types of CCPP vaccines; identification of user groups; and the distribution of the vaccine including the delivery costs of both types of the inactivated vaccine (liquid and freeze dried). These three research areas will contribute to the assessment of small ruminant health care delivery systems, measuring the present economic impact of vaccine research by SR-CRSP and KARI. These activities are part of the workplan for 1995-1996.