As anxiety mounts over the outbreak of Anthrax in Nigeria, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reiterated its partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to control the spread of the disease in the country.
FAO, in a statement by it communications specialist, David Tsokar, Monday in Abuja said the Nigerian Office of the Organisation through the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) is providing technical and financial support for the intervention strategy.
According to Tsokar, the intervention will be in the area of logistics to kick-start the risk-based nation-wide vaccination against the disease.
The first case of Anthrax was reported in Suleja, Niger State.
“Also at the request of FMARD, a nation-wide meeting with all Directors of Veterinary Services (DVS) from the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory will be convened to fashion a comprehensive response to prevent, detect and respond to further spread of Anthrax to other parts of the country,” the statement reads in part
FAO ECTAD Country Team Leader Dr. Otto Vianney Muhinda said “the partnership is to be enhanced within the context of the One Health approach, and efforts would be sustained using a strong team of frontline experts, to prevent the spread of the disease to other parts of the country.
“With the support of USAID, we are pursuing our efforts to mobilize human and financial resources including the Directors of Veterinary Services from the 36 States and FCT Abuja, to discuss the ongoing Anthrax outbreak, more importantly to evaluate the preparedness of the States vis-à-vis the implementation of strategies to prevent spread of the disease into the country as well as put in place control measures”.
The consultative meeting with DVSs from the states would discuss risk-assessment and survey, conduct of mass nationwide vaccination of animals (cattle, sheep and goats) against Anthrax, refresher training for epidemiology officers and training of livestock professionals, farmers, butchers and traders on bio-security measures.
The joint field mission to Sabon Wuse was conducted by the ECTAD, FDVPCS and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), where a quick risk assessment was conducted a week after the first animal died of the disease.
Vaccinations have been carried out and other risk communication initiatives were deployed to restrict the disease spreading to other farms and neighboring communities within 15 kilometers radius.
The team would also be deployed to Lagos to carry out the exercise.
