ProgRESSVet East Africa
About the program
ProgRESSVet East Africa is an education and training program for animal health and veterinary professionals in Kenya and Uganda. The program is designed to support participants as they develop the knowledge, skills, and relationships necessary to excel and contribute to economic development through their daily work.
The goal of ProgRESSVet is to improve local, national, and regional practices for animal health, and promote access to international trade markets for sustained local development. ProgRESSVet East Africa is supported through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ProgRESSVet celebrates the successful training of 129 individuals across the East Africa region since its inception in 2019.
The previous iteration of the ProgRESSVet East Africa was conducted in Kenya and Uganda between 2019 and 2023. This project aimed to enhance Veterinary Service capacity by leveraging PVS Gap Analysis. Notably, a total of 74 participants were successfully trained during the program, with 27 participants from Uganda and 47 from Kenya. These individuals were equipped with essential skills to formulate evidence-based proposals addressing the improvement of animal health and food safety.
The participants' efforts resulted in the development of 21 comprehensive proposals, 12 of which originated from Kenya and 9 from Uganda. These proposals align with national priorities and address crucial areas identified in the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Performance of Veterinary Services evaluation process.
ProgRESSVet East Africa was renewed for another series of cohorts. This next phase of the program facilitates regional expansion, offering a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration among member countries and leverage the expertise and networks cultivated since ProgRESSVet's inception. Our current cohorts include 29 participants in Uganda and 26 participants in Kenya. These individuals will work in 2025 through a revised project phase to tackle practical interventions and policy updates toward the improvement of their daily work and the broader functioning of veterinary services. We look forward to welcoming a new Cohort 5 group in 2025 to carry on this important work.