Dr. Pauline Njoki Gitonga

Vice Secretary | Animal Health Specialist

Dr. Pauline Gitonga is a veterinarian and biosafety, biosecurity, and One Health specialist with over 15 years of experience strengthening animal and public health systems in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) across East and Southern Africa. She works at the interface of laboratory safety, zoonotic disease surveillance, emergency livestock health, and community-led risk reduction, with a strong focus on translating policy into practice.

She is a certified Trainer of Trainers in the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS), a globally recognised framework guiding humane, effective, and livelihoods-focused livestock interventions during emergencies. Dr. Gitonga has authored more than 15 technical manuals and training curricula, delivering participatory, scalable solutions that bridge policy, practice, and community action.

---

Role

OHAAN’s Animal Health Track advances prevention-first approaches to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock systems across Kenya and the region. We work to reduce reliance on antimicrobials by strengthening biosecurity, vaccination, and climate-smart livestock management in smallholder and pastoral production systems.

We serve as a neutral One Health convening platform, linking animal, human, and environmental health actors to support coordinated action, joint surveillance, and shared learning. OHAAN translates AMR strategies into practical tools for veterinarians, para-veterinarians, and livestock extension workers, ensuring that stewardship principles are applicable in real-world settings.

---

Impact

OHAAN supports reduced antimicrobial use in livestock by addressing disease risk at its source. Our work enables farmers and animal health workers to adopt affordable preventive practices that improve animal health outcomes while protecting livelihoods.

By strengthening animal health participation in One Health AMR platforms, OHAAN contributes to more balanced, integrated, and effective AMR responses. Our community-based approaches build local ownership of antimicrobial stewardship and strengthen trust between farmers, animal health services, and regulatory systems.

---

Innovation

OHAAN applies health economics and systems analysis to demonstrate that prevention-focused animal health strategies are more cost-effective and sustainable than treatment-driven models.

We promote innovative surveillance approaches, including sentinel and community-based models, to generate data on antimicrobial use and resistance in livestock systems often underrepresented—such as pastoral settings, informal markets, and wildlife–livestock interfaces. These models link animal health data to event-based surveillance and One Health early warning systems.

OHAAN integrates AMR education into existing disease control and infection prevention platforms, translating complex technical concepts into clear, culturally relevant messages that support behaviour change at community level.

---

Policy Contribution

OHAAN strengthens the implementation of national and regional AMR policies by bridging the gap between policy frameworks and frontline animal health practice. We support the operationalisation of antimicrobial stewardship in livestock by promoting biosecurity, vaccination, and improved husbandry as first-line interventions.

We contribute to the implementation of Kenya’s National Action Plan on AMR and aligned regional frameworks by strengthening animal health representation, supporting cross-sectoral coordination, and generating evidence to inform policy refinement.

OHAAN also supports dialogue on veterinary medicine regulation and supply chains, promoting ethical dispensing, accountability, and evidence-informed reforms that safeguard antimicrobial effectiveness.