Nuristan PRT Provides Provincial Veterinary Ministry with vaccines

By Air Force 2nd Lt. Natassia Cherne

Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (Dec. 15, 2009) - The Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team provided the Afghan Provincial Veterinary Ministry with thousands of veterinarian vaccines for local livestock in the Nurguram District of eastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province, Dec. 14 and 15.

Ray Lehn, the U.S. Department of Agricultural representative for the Nuristan PRT, , and native of Fairfield, Iowa, provided Abdula Qader, the Director of Veterinary Ministry for Nuristan, with veterinarian vaccines and supplies ordered by the last PRT to distribute among the villages that needed the vaccines the most.  

“There was some request for veterinarian support last spring when the people in Nuristan were having issues with their livestock contracting diseases like sheep pox,” Lehn said. “So, that was one of the reasons why we decided to keep the vaccines and have the Afghan Veterinary Ministry distribute them.” 

In the month of December, Qader will travel throughout the NurguramDistrict to ensure all 45 villages have the opportunity to receive vaccines for their livestock. 

So far, 44 families have been seen in the Nengarach, Malil and Wadow villages. If there are any vaccines left, Qader hopes to distribute them to families in the Do Ab District.

This is the first time that the people of Nuristan have been able to receive vaccinations for the livestock because the lack of road construction had made travelling to their villages too difficult.

“The vaccinations are a huge success and will be just as successful in the future if the PRT continues to support us,” Qader said. “In the past nobody has helped with our veterinarian needs, so we are very grateful.”