LODWAR— The Turkana County veterinary laboratory is set to be upgraded into a regional Centre of excellence for rabies and other livestock diseases in a move aimed at strengthening disease surveillance and diagnostic services across northern Kenya and neighbouring countries. Director of veterinary services Dr Allan Azegele said the laboratory would be upgraded to a Level II biosafety and diagnostic facility capable of conducting specialised tests for diseases including rabies, hydatidosis, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) and peste des petits ruminants (PPR).
The upgraded facility is expected to serve counties in the region as well as neighbouring Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia, giving Turkana a strategic role in regional livestock disease surveillance. Dr Azegele spoke on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, after touring the county to assess ongoing national Government programmes and projects implemented by the Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA) over the past five years. He said the visit was also intended to assess Turkana’s preparedness for El Niño-related interventions and determine how county programmes could be aligned with national Government plans.
“My visit to Turkana is critical to assess ongoing projects by the national Government and KWVA. I am also keen to understand the county’s level of El Niño preparedness and align it with national Government programming on El Niño interventions,” Dr Azegele said. The Director said the laboratory network established in Turkana was already partly operational and would be reviewed and accredited to undertake specific diagnostic tests for priority livestock diseases. He said the facility would subsequently be integrated into the national laboratory network to improve coordination, management and utilisation of diagnostic capacity.
“This will ensure that Government surveillance programmes are well coordinated and that all the laboratory’s capacity for the region is fully utilised,” he said. The planned upgrade comes as Turkana steps up efforts to control rabies and hydatidosis, diseases that pose a threat to both livestock and public health. Dr Azegele inspected an ongoing three-day campaign aimed at eradicating the two diseases in the county.
The campaign forms part of broader efforts to strengthen veterinary services, improve disease detection and protect livestock-dependent communities from preventable animal diseases. Turkana County Chief Officer for Livestock Development Peter Ikaru welcomed the national Government’s plans, saying the county was ready to work closely with the Directorate of Veterinary Services to strengthen livestock development programmes. “We are happy you found time to visit Turkana. We assure you the county will work closely with the national Government on the ongoing and future programmes,” Ikaru said.
Ikaru also said the county was aware of plans by the national Government to revive the Turkana Tannery and Lomidat Abattoir, which he said would help transform the livestock sector from subsistence production into a commercial enterprise. The proposed revival of the facilities is expected to create additional opportunities for livestock farmers by strengthening value addition and markets for animal products.
Following the inspection, Dr Azegele and his team planted trees at the veterinary laboratory compound as part of efforts to promote environmental conservation. The team later inspected key sections of the laboratory, including bacteriology, cold chain and sterilisation, parasitology, serology, haematology and post-mortem units. The planned transformation of the laboratory is expected to enhance Turkana’s capacity to detect and respond to livestock diseases while strengthening regional disease surveillance and supporting the health of communities that depend heavily on livestock for their livelihoods.
