Tanzania calls on global partners to increase financial support in war against PPR plague

ROME: PRIME Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has called on African countries and international partners to prioritise efforts to eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), commonly known as the small ruminant plague, by increasing financial and technical support.

Dr Mwigulu made the call on September 21, 2026, while delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan at the opening of a three-day international conference on One Health and food and agriculture systems at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy.

He said eradicating PPR was not only an investment in animal health but also in food security, poverty reduction, livestock trade and strengthening the economic resilience of communities.

“We must ensure that this agenda continues to receive priority at national, regional and global levels in order to achieve this goal,” he said.

Highlighting Tanzania’s efforts to combat the disease, the Prime Minister said the government had made PPR eradication a national priority and continued to support and advocate for efforts to eliminate the disease across Africa.

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He said PPR was not merely an animal health problem but also posed a threat to food security, household incomes, trade and the livelihoods of millions of pastoralists, particularly those who depend on sheep and goats.

During the 2025/26 financial year, Dr Mwigulu said Tanzania vaccinated 16.8 million sheep and goats against PPR, covering a large proportion of the 17.2 million animals targeted for vaccination in high-risk areas.

He said the government had allocated more than 30.8 billion Tanzanian shillings, equivalent to approximately 11.6m US dollars, for the 2026/27 financial year to support the second phase of the PPR vaccination campaign.

Dr Mwigulu said Tanzania’s experience had shown that eradicating the disease could not be achieved through vaccination alone, but required a combination of measures, including disease surveillance, diagnosis and animal monitoring, provision of appropriate veterinary services, regional and international cooperation, and sustainable financing.