Smarter collaboration is key to improving animal health for a sustainable livestock sector in developing countries, says incoming GALVmed CEO

Dr Lois Muraguri, GALVmed’s first African CEO, calls for systemic change to deliver sustainable animal health solutions to small-scale livestock producers in low- and middle-income countries.

Developing countries need smarter collaborations to improve animal health and sustainably transform the livestock sector amid reduced aid budgets, according to Dr Lois Muraguri, new CEO of the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed).

Dr Muraguri, a Kenyan and British national, will be the first African to lead GALVmed, a product development and access partnership that develops and scales the availability of veterinary medicines for small-scale livestock producers in the Global South, in its 18-year history. 

Millions of small-scale livestock producers in developing countries face reduced productivity, loss of livelihoods, and food insecurity due to limited availability, access to, and awareness of veterinary medicines. Outbreaks of diseases such as Rift Valley Fever (RVF) or Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) can lead to a 20% loss of livestock production annually, with CCPP alone having a yearly economic impact of around $507 million.

Since its inception, GALVmed has supported the delivery of veterinary vaccines, therapeutics, and other animal health products to small-scale livestock producers in multiple countries across Africa and South Asia. This includes roll-outs of 1.3 billion livestock vaccines, helping to avert 38.7 million livestock deaths and saving the livestock sector approximately $359 million.

Dr Muraguri assumes leadership as GALVmed transitions into the second half of its 2030 Strategy, which focuses on increasing the availability, access, and adoption of quality veterinary medicines for small-scale livestock producers in sub-Saharan Africa.

The start of Dr Muraguri’s tenure coincides with global discussions at the FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, which is spotlighting scaling innovations and solutions-driven approaches to sustainably transform the livestock sector. GALVmed, under Dr Muraguri’s leadership, will focus on strengthening market platforms aligned with countries’ local needs and realities and mobilising private and public partnerships to ensure animal health solutions are delivered sustainably and at scale.

“We are at a period of shrinking international aid budgets and reduced public spending, which lengthens the time it takes to see results in agricultural development,” said Dr Muraguri. “This makes it more urgent for the international community, including development partners and those implementing development programmes, to strengthen country-level partnerships and market platforms that can sustain animal health systems over the long term. The priority should be collaborating to ensure animal health innovations reach farmers sustainably and at scale.”

With demand for animal-source food in low- and middle-income countries projected to rise by more than 20% by 2050, GALVmed will focus on embedding animal health solutions into wider agricultural and financial systems. The goal is to reduce losses, increase livestock productivity and household incomes, and build resilient food systems that deliver lasting benefits for smallholder households.

Dr Muraguri stressed the need for the animal health sector to move beyond a single-disease approach to supporting innovative combination vaccines, adding: “A disease-by-disease approach is costly, impractical and often disconnected from what small-scale producers experience on the ground. It is more efficient to provide access to integrated solutions, like combination vaccines that protect against several diseases at once. GALVmed seeks to be a systems-level catalyst and trusted convenor that accelerates adoption of animal health solutions by small-scale livestock farmers.”

Dr Muraguri joined GALVmed in 2010 and most recently served as Executive Director of Enabling Environment and Partner Engagement. With a background in law and a PhD in intellectual property and public-private partnerships, she is widely respected for her work on regulatory harmonisation in Africa and her role in building strategic partnerships across public and private sectors to strengthen livestock health systems.

On October 1st, 2025, Dr Muraguri succeeds Dr Carolin Schumacher, the first female and longest serving CEO of GALVmed to date. During her tenure at the helm of GALVmed, Dr Schumacher transformed the organisation into a high-performing actor in the livestock development field and a mature and widely respected leader focused on improving access to critically needed veterinary medicines in sub-Saharan Africa. 

“It has been both exciting and challenging to lead GALVmed over the past seven years. Thanks to the innovative work of our partners, the dedication of our staff, and the steadfast support of our Board of Trustees, GALVmed has achieved a great deal and is well-positioned to continue serving the animal health input needs of small-scale producers in Africa. I’m pleased to be handing over to Lois, who has been instrumental in shaping GALVmed’s outreach for over a decade. I am confident she will lead the organisation to even greater impact,” said Dr Carolin Schumacher, GALVmed’s outgoing CEO.

Dr Isabelle Dieuzy-Labaye, GALVmed’s Board Chair, added: “Through her widely acknowledged work on regulatory harmonisation in sub-Saharan Africa,  Lois has become a highly visible, respected, and influential leader with regulators, policy makers and organisations dedicated to livestock development in Africa. I believe that Lois possesses solid experience and an excellent understanding of the field to take GALVmed to the next level in fulfilling its unique mission.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

About GALVmed:

The heart of agriculture in low- and middle-income countries is millions of hard-working small-scale livestock entrepreneurs who face challenges on many fronts. To increase their ability to manage livestock diseases of poultry, sheep and goats, and cattle, GALVmed partners with private and public organisations to improve availability, access, awareness, and adoption of quality livestock veterinary medicines in sub-Saharan Africa. This consists of bringing new therapeutics, diagnostics, or modern vaccine solutions to market, and building innovation into the veterinary medicines supply chains so that they support sustainable livestock development and improve livelihoods for small-scale livestock producers. GALVmed is funded by the Gates Foundation and the UK Government. For more information, please visit www.galvmed.org