An assessment of two OFDA funded community based animal health worker (CAHW) projects which found that:
- The sustainability of CAHW development relies on the degree of integrity of financial management of drug inputs and a satisfactory remuneration for the individual CAHW's.
- Financial transactions through private sector channels without the involvement of committeesor associations were most sustainable. Generally, many committee-managed revolving funds were found to break-down in short order.
- The privatisation scheme in Kenya was successful in establishing private veterinary practices in high potential areas indicating that extending such could enhance the move of CAHW programs toward integration into the private sector.
The assessment concludes:
- both the projects achieved excellent results in improved animal health
- Both benefited longer term sustainable animal health services to pastoralists via local institution building and policy reform initiatives
- the projects have laid foundations relevant to the relief-to development continuum despite the emergency situation in the region.
The authors go on to suggest that the CAHW approach can also act as an effective point of contact with remote, pastoral communities leading to other potential benefits such as human health service delivery, conflict mitigation and cross-boarder livestock disease control.
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