… Hands over Kuje Animal Health Center
… Promises to mitigate outbreak of animal diseases in FCT
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Mandate Secretary, Agriculture & Rural Development Secretariat, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim has revealed plans that the Secretariat will be joining hands with relevant regulatory bodies to root out illegal veterinary clinics that are operating in Abuja in order to guarantee public health safety of residents.
Ibrahim made this known on Tuesday at the handover ceremony of Animal Health Center kuje, constructed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (FMARD) at kuje area council on Wednesday in Abuja.
He called on residents to patronize the clinic Center as well as other government approved clinics in the FCT.
He said the strategic location of the project in Kuje Area Council renowned to be the food basket of the FCT will immensely benefit livestock owners not just in Kuje but also all the Area Councils.
He said, “The execution of this laudable project by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development which is fully equipped with high quality facilities is no doubt a testimony of the prominence that the Federal Government places on the agricultural sector particularly on issues that relate to the delivery of quality animal health care and food safety. ”
The FCT Administration remains immensely grateful for being considered among the states to benefit from this project, he noted.
“Statistics have shown that because of the inherent social and economic benefits associated with livestock production and management, more and more Nigerians are getting involved in livestock production.”
“While we appreciate this
development, what has however been a concern to animal health practitioners over the years is the rise in cases of animal diseases with high mortality rate on animals. Equally worrisome is the fact that some of the diseases such as Rabies, Bovine tuberculosis, Brucellosis, Animal flu and so on are transmissible from animals to humans. ”
Meanwhile, Ibrahim also revealed the the FCT Administration has being putting in place measures to mitigate the outbreak and spread of animal diseases.
“For instance, the Secretariat has strengthened its disease surveillance system in high risk areas such as live bird and cattle markets, Veterinary clinics, abattoirs across the FCT to enhance speedy disease reporting and response. ”
“Similarly, the establishment of an ultra-modern Veterinary laboratory in Nyanya in collaboration with Alpha Zoetis Pharmaceutical Company has helped to enhance access of livestock owners in FCT to quality and affordable animal health care services. It is gladdening to note that the project is yielding the desired results as cases of animal deaths have been brought down by up to 50% over the past 2 years of its establishment. ”
He hinted that the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has facilitated has begun a monthly clinical conference by the Secretariat for veterinary practitioners in the FCT to review clinical cases and expose them to best practices in the identification, treatment and containment of animal diseases.
“All these initiatives that have been put in place are in line with the promise made by the Administration to deliver world class services to FCT residents. ”
According to him, over a week ago, the Secretariat mobilized about 90 Veterinary health personnel to kickstart the mass treatment of livestock in the 6 Area Councils of the FCT, adding that the exercise is ongoing without hitches as animal owners have been trooping enmasse and fully cooperating with the officials.
Ibrahim commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the gesture and promised that the Secretariat will ensure the optimal use of the facility towards achieving the set objectives.
He also thanked Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON) Dr. Maimuna Habibu who personally ensured the timely completion and delivery of the project to the FCT”, he said.
Director/Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Maimuna Abdullahi Habib disclosed that the project was executed to provide quality animal health care services delivery to livestock farmers and pastoralists.
Habib said the centre was constructed by the department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to help rural dwellers improve on their livestock production.
She said, “This primary animal health care centre was constructed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2018, and today we are officially handing it over to the veterinary services Department of the FCT for effective use. ”
She informed that the federal government was intervening in the area of veterinary infrastructure in the country in order to boost the capacity of the veterinary services in the country.
