Effectiveness of veterinary service interventions in improving the wellbeing of livestock-dependent populations in Ghana

Livestock represent valuable assets for many people globally, especially in low- and –middle income countries (LMICs). In LMICs, livestock production serves multiple purposes, including generating income for households, serving as a store of wealth against uncertainties, and providing companionship to farmers. In addition, livestock products serve as the primary source of protein in the diets of the majority of the population in LMICs. However, in many LMICs, animal diseases are highly prevalent among herds due to inadequate disease control measures, leading to significant livestock mortalities. These mortalities not only result in livelihood losses for farming households, but also have a negative impact on productivity in the livestock sector, thereby contributing to heightened public food insecurity. Although disease prevention measures are available and can effectively control livestock diseases in principle, many farmers in LMICs do not regularly utilize these measures. Thus, the goal of this research was to provide evidence on effective and cost-effective preventive veterinary interventions, identify the barriers to their utilization in Ghana, and assess the willingness of livestock farmers to pay for these interventions to protect their livestock assets, and improve overall wellbeing.
The first part of the research provides a synthesis of existing evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of preventive veterinary interventions for the control of infectious livestock diseases. The findings from this scoping review indicate that, vaccination is the most widely implemented preventive intervention against infectious livestock diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Furthermore, vaccination is also the most effective and cost-effective strategy compared to the other approaches employed throughout the region. However, the findings showed that the effectiveness of vaccination is highest when implemented under controlled conditions, and tend to reduce due to various field challenges including adverse weather events, cold chain failures, and mismatch between vaccine and circulating pathogen strains. The evidence therefore suggests that integrating pathogen surveillance into vaccination interventions, and optimizing vaccine delivery tools in the field would enable countries to effectively control the majority of livestock diseases.
In the subsequent chapters, this research examined the existing strategies used by livestock farmers and veterinary service providers to address the infectious diseases affecting livestock, the performance of veterinary services in meeting the health needs of animals, the barriers to vaccination utilization by farmers, farmers’ willingness to pay for vaccination to protect their herds against the diseases, and the effect of poor animal health on farmers’ wellbeing in Ghana. The results reveal that transboundary animal diseases i.e. contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), foot– and –mouth disease (FMD), and peste– des –petits ruminants (PPR) are highly prevalent among livestock herds, causing significant animal mortalities. The veterinary system weaknesses identified from both farmers’ and veterinary officers’ perspective relate to shortfalls in the veterinary workforce, and the material resources to deliver effective animal health services. As a result, majority of the farmers utilize the services of informal providers - who are not regulated by the veterinary system - or manage the livestock diseases on their own. In most of the cases, the medicines applied by the farmers were not useful for the conditions being treated. Thus, a reduction in the occurrence of the diseases, especially through disease prevention strategies, have a potential to reduce the disease burden, and the workload on the veterinary system, while safeguarding the valuable livestock assets of livestock dependent populations.
The results showed that the utilization of vaccination services by livestock farmers in Ghana is significantly low. The main factors hindering access to vaccination were identified as a combination of demand and supply barriers. On the demand side, barriers primarily stem from farmers’ limited awareness and sometimes misconceptions about the benefits of vaccines, as well as the financial burden associated with vaccine affordability. Particularly, the requirement for farmers to bear the full cost of vaccine vials, even if they do not own a sufficient number of animals to utilize an entire vial. Competing expenditure needs also exert an influence on farmers' decision-making process to use vaccination services. The supply-side barriers are mainly due to the limited number of professional veterinary officers accessible to farmers, and inadequate veterinary health infrastructure, which restricts the availability and accessibility of veterinary services when required. To overcome these barriers to vaccination uptake, the farmers suggested several measures, including the formation of localized community networks of farmers. This proposed strategy involves harnessing the strength of a collective group of farmers to coordinate vaccination visits with veterinary officers, thereby improving access to veterinary services and enhancing vaccination rates.
Furthermore, the results from the contingent valuation component of this research showed that, when sensitized on the benefits of vaccines for enhancing livestock productivity, many farmers demonstrate a willingness to pay for vaccination against CBPP and PPR, even exceeding the prevailing prices. Thus, by leveraging community sensitization and engagement, it is feasible to achieve the national vaccination target of 50% at the existing vaccination costs. However, our estimates also revealed that to attain the desirable target of 70% coverage for CBPP and PPR control, it would be necessary to introduce subsidies to ensure broader inclusivity and participation in vaccination programs, especially for female farmers and farmers residing in the poorest districts.
Adopting a One Health perspective to examine the relationship between poor animal health and farmers’ wellbeing, our research results showed a significant and negative effect of increasing levels of disease-induced animal mortalities on the overall wellbeing of livestock farmers. Specifically, we observed significant negative impacts of poor animal health on the psychological and physical domains of farmers’ wellbeing.
The overall findings of this research emphasize that the inadequate utilization of effective preventive strategies like vaccination, and shortfalls in the provision of veterinary services in Ghana contribute to the persistence of livestock diseases in herds. This in turn results in substantial losses in livestock productivity and livelihood for households. Furthermore, the current disease management strategies employed by farmers pose considerable risks to public health and food safety. Beyond the implications of livestock diseases for livelihoods, public health and food security, the wellbeing of livestock farmers is also negatively affected. Therefore, policy interventions addressing the existing challenges in the veterinary service delivery and promoting the adoption of vaccination services are necessary to mitigate the impacts of livestock diseases in Ghana.
Additionally, the research conducted in this doctoral project lays the foundation for future research work to evaluate various intervention strategies to enhance the effectiveness of veterinary services in Ghana. Furthermore, there is the need for empirical research studies evaluating various approaches that promote community participation and utilization of preventive veterinary services, especially vaccination, in order to mitigate the occurrence and impacts of livestock diseases on the population.