The Adamawa State Government has commenced mass vaccination of livestock against transboundary animal diseases.
Transboundary animal diseases are highly contagious and transmissible epidemic diseases of livestock which have the capability for rapid spread to new areas and regions within and beyond national borders and have serious socio-economic and public health consequences.
Major transboundary animal diseases often reported around Nigeria include Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, CBPP; Foot and Mouth Diseases, FMD; Peste des Petits Ruminants, PPR; African Swine Fever, ASF; and Animal Trypanosomosis and Tick-Borne Diseases.
Exactly a year ago, in December 2022, the federal government announced that Nigeria was losing N29 billion annually to transboundary animal diseases.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, during the flag-off of the vaccination exercise at Girei Cattle Market in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, described vaccination of animals against transboundary diseases as the sure way of ensuring public health.
Represented on the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Dr Edgar Amos Sunday, Governor Fintiri said the livestock subsector contributes meaningfully to Adamawa’s gross domestic product, hence his administration’s drive to accord the sector priority.
“Vaccine is necessary to stem the tide of the diseases affecting animals, thereby enhancing public health and the prevalence of the disease for the better,” the governor said.
In his remark, the state Commissioner of Livestock and Aquaculture Development, Tijjani Maksha specified that the vaccination campaign is for the contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and the peste des petits ruminants.
The Executive Chairman of Girei Local Government Council, Mr Juda Amisa and the District Head of Girei, Ahmed Ibrahim Mustafa described the vaccination exercise as a way of ensuring sustained public health as well as economic growth and development.
