Livestock Services and the Poor: A global initiative - IFAD

86
LIVESTOCK SERVICES AND THE POOR
Preventive health
care for small
livestock shows
good results
Subsidized services
hinder privatization
Privatization
occurs first in
high-potential
areas
Low-potential
areas require
low-cost models
for privatization
among goats and poultry. Poultry vaccinations were likewise vital
to the success of the model in Bangladesh.
Generally, vaccination programmes have a substantial impact
on livestock production and livelihoods because they reduce
vulnerability and the need for costly curative treatments later.
Vaccinations against the most contagious diseases (List A of the
Office International des Epizooties) are centrally planned, and the
poor are generally included in the campaigns. The services are
much less reliable for the less contagious diseases (List B of the
Office International des Epizooties), and the poor often lack access
to these.
The need for diagnostic services varies according to the
background of the livestock keeper. New livestock keepers often
lack adequate knowledge about animal health and management
and are therefore very dependent on diagnostic assistance when
their animals fall sick. Many poor urban livestock keepers who
have lost the attachment to their rural origins fit into the latter
category. Traditional livestock keepers are to a large extent selfreliant
in this area.
Subsidized health services and privatization
Over the last decade, there has been an attempt to establish a
more appropriate division of labour between private and public
sector animal health providers, but there is still substantial
overlap and even unfair competition between public and
private veterinarians. For example, public veterinarians in
South Asia are allowed to charge for services they provide
outside office hours. Thus, there is little incentive for
veterinarians to start a private practice (Ahuja et al., 2000). In
sub-Saharan Africa, privatization has been more pronounced,
and it is estimated that there are now about 2 000 private
veterinarians. Privatization normally starts in high-potential
areas, but as these become fully covered, there is a gradual
penetration to the low-potential areas, as shown by
developments in Kenya (Owango et al., 1998) and Morocco. It
is not likely, however, that a conventional private veterinary
service would be economically viable in these areas (Oruko,