Claim: Bill Gates to vaccinate livestock worldwide starting from Africa
Source: Metro TV/ Social media
Verdict: False
Researched by Gifty Tracy Aminu
GhanaFact found a quote card shared by Metro TV Ghana with a claim suggesting that the world’s richest man, Bill Gates, intends to vaccinate animals worldwide, beginning with Africa.
The card accompanying the station’s post on social media read, “Bill Gates with an audacious plan to vaccinate all livestock around the world, starting with Africa.” The post garnered significant reactions on social media platforms, including Facebook and X.
On X, the post received 1,000 comments, 499 reshares, and 2.8k likes with accumulated views of over 252,000. The same post got 477 likes, 452 comments, and was shared by 80 Facebook users.
Meanwhile, GhanaFact’s monitoring revealed that multiple news platforms and social media channels like YouTube and Instagram have shared similar information. The claim had spread through Africa, facing strong resistance from some social media users.
This fact-check report seeks to verify the accuracy of the claim.
Fact-check
GhanaFact’s investigation shows that the viral claim emanated from a video of Bill Gates speaking about a partnership between the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom and the Gates Foundation.
On January 26, 2018, DFID shared a video of Bill Gates on X with the caption “Bill Gates explains why #UKaid is partnering with @GatesFoundation to fund groundbreaking research to protect agriculture and farmers from around the world against devastating diseases #AidWorks.”
In the video, Bill Gates is heard saying;
“Well, the Gates Foundation has partnered with DFID on a great number of things, and among those are work we do together on livestock. Helping animals to survive either by vaccines or better genetics, helping them to be more productive. It’s making a big difference.
“I was down in Ethiopia, and seeing how chickens are out there laying eggs, getting more nutrition and even some small savings into the household. Edinburgh happens to be where a lot of the world’s best work on this is done, and that’s why DFID and the Gates Foundation are funding scientists here.”
Why the recent uproar about animal vaccination?
GhanaFact’s investigation shows that in January 2025, a section of Kenyans protested President William Ruto’s initiative to vaccinate 22 million cattle and 50 million goats and sheep in the country over three years.
The initiative was announced in November 2024 and has since faced public backlash with sceptics associating the exercise with conspiracy theories of vaccine-altering DNA.
In a publication on the official website of the Kenyan Presidency, President Ruto said, “This will ensure we access both national and international markets for our livestock products.”
Is vaccination of livestock harmful, or can it alter DNA?
The Risk Communication manager of the Veterinary Services Directorate of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr Benjamin Sasu, debunked the claim in an interview with GhanaFact, “Animals are already vaccinated. Vaccination in animals is not new. Remember, for dogs, we hear of rabies. For poultry, they receive different vaccines.
“In vaccine trials, animals are used before humans. So it is not true that vaccines, after approval by regulatory agencies both international and in-country, will create these issues that have negative effects. If it happens, there will be a recall immediately.”
He added: “Vaccines are to help the human or animal body system develop protection against diseases (viral/bacterial diseases). The processes for the development of vaccines are so strict, and there is post-market surveillance to check their effectiveness. Issues affecting the genes are not allowed.”
Responding to the claim about vaccines changing the DNA of animals, Dr Sasu stressed, “Scientific work on the genetic make-up of animals is done under strict regulations, and ensures it benefits mankind. No single individual or company can get up to produce anything for the market. Right to a good living must always be guaranteed.”
The findings above show that the widely circulated claim sprang up from a 2018 video of Bill Gates speaking about livestock vaccination, but he never mentioned Africa or indicated a vaccination project in Africa, as speculated.
Verdict
Therefore, the claim is False.
GhanaFact has contacted Metro TV on the source of their information. This article will be updated with their response when it is available.
