Vision 2030 recognizes livestock development as a key player in national development. However, the performance of this sector is sometimes hampered by unethical practices where quacks and unqualified persons offer wrong and substandard services without regard to professionalism and animal welfare. How to Apply Indexing of Animal Health Students in Kenya
Such unprofessionalism puts to risk, according to the latest livestock census, an industry comprising of the country’s 3.35 million exotic cattle, 14.11 million indigenous cattle, 44.87 million sheep and goats, 2.97 million camels, 0.33 million pigs, 1.83 million donkeys and 31.82 million poultry. This is a huge livestock resource which could contribute immensely to national development.
To effectively exploit the resource, competent and professional animal health service provision is critical. The minimum level of animal health and veterinary qualification and the quality of training need to be assured. It is the mandate of the KVB to regulate this sector in order to protect the welfare of farmers, the professionals, other stakeholders and the animals as stated in the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Paraprofessionals [VSVP] Act, 2011.
The Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) as currently constituted is created by the new Veterinary Surgeons’ and Veterinary Para-professionals (VSVP) Act No. 29 of 2011 which was assented to by the President of the Republic of Kenya on 16th September 2011 and took effect on 2nd December 2011 after gazettement (Legal Notice No. 183 of 28-11-2011) by the Minister for Livestock Development. The Board was launched on 14th February 2012 in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 (1) of the VSVP Act. The VSVP Act, which now provides for registration of both Veterinary surgeons and Veterinary Para-professionals, replaced the almost 60 year old Veterinary Surgeons’ Act (Cap 366) of 1953, which provided for registration of Veterinary Surgeons only.
The current KVB is established by section 3 of the VSVP Act, 2011. Its membership, as required by section 4 of the Act, consists of an administrative member from the Ministry of livestock and the Ministry of finance. Other members include the Director of Veterinary Services, a Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of a public university in Kenya, a veterinary surgeon who is a principal of a veterinary paraprofessional training institute, 4 elected registered veterinary surgeons, 3 elected veterinary para-professionals, the chairperson of the Kenya Veterinary Association, 1 representative of veterinary research institutions; 1 veterinary surgeon or veterinary paraprofessional representative of the Kenya Wildlife sector, and 2 persons who are not veterinary surgeons or veterinary paraprofessionals.
Procedure
- This application MUST be completed and submitted to the Registrar, Kenya Veterinary Board within 30 days following commencement of the training.
Apply in Person
- All veterinary medicine animal health students shall be indexed within one month from the date of admission.
- The students are supposed to make their applications to the Kenya Veterinary Board through the institution where he/she is admitted.
- The student should approach their dean of student’s for an * Application of Indexing of Animal Health Students –Form 39a to fill and submit. This form can also be obtained from the boards website
- The student should fill the application form Application of Indexing of Animal Health Students –Form 39a and attach passport size photograph, national identity card copy, certificate/result slip and school leaving certificate.
- After this the student should submit the application to the institution where he/she is admitted.
- The institution will forward the students application form to the Kenya Veterinary Board on the behalf of the students.
- The institution will then summarize the particulars of all the applicants in Form 39(b) and submit the summary together with student’s application to the board within 30 days from the date of admission.
- For the students to be indexed they must have met the minimum curriculum requirements for the course in which he or she is admitted as set by the board.
- The Board will go through the application and issue index numbers to the student and send the list of index numbers of the to the training institution.
- The students can pick their index number from the deans’ office.
Required Documents
- National ID/ Passport copies
- Certified KSCE Examination Results Slip,
- Secondary School Leaving Certificate,
- (One) coloured passport size photograph.
- Upon upgrading, applicants must attach copies of previous certificates/ qualifications and practice license.
Office Locations & Contacts
Kenya Veterinary Board
Off Waiyaki Way,
Veterinary Research Laboratories:
Kabete, Nairobi Kenya.
Telephone: +254-701-581718
Mobile Number: +254-722-305253
E-mail: info@kenyavetboard.or.ke
Website:Kenya Veterinary Board
Eligibility
- Freshly enrolled veterinary medicine animal health students
Fees
- This application is free of charge.
Validity
- The index number is valid during the training period of the student
Documents to Use

Processing Time
- Within two weeks
Required Information
- Name of the applicant
- ID/ Passport Number
- Postal address
- Tel/Mobile number
- Index Number
- Citizenship
- Training Information
- Training cadres
- Training institution
- Name of dean of training institution.
- Date of application
- Signature
Need for the Document
- The index number is used to track the students’ progress through training and it’s used to determine your eligibility to sit for the Board’s licensing examination.
- The KVB assigns each student an index number, which serves as a unique identifier for that individual through graduation and into their veterinary career
Information which might help
- The Kenya veterinary Board assigns each student an index number, which serves as a unique identifier for that individual through graduation and into their veterinary career.
External Links
Others
- All veterinary medicine animal health students shall be indexed within one month from the date of admission.
- All students shall fill Form 39(a) and attach passport size photograph, national identity card copy, certificate/result slip and school leaving certificate.
- The student shall submit the application to the institution where he/she is admitted.
- The institution shall forward the students application form to the board on the behalf of the students.
- The institution shall summarize the particulars of all the applicants in Form 39(b) and submit the summary together with student’s application to the board within 30 days from the date of admission.
- For the students to be indexed they must have met the minimum curriculum requirements for the course in which he or she is admitted as set by the board(check board documents)