By Lanre Shodimu
In an effort to stem the tide of Transboundary disease in Nigeria, the Nigerian Association of Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists (NAAHHT), Oyo State chapter, has begun move to address disease outbreak in animals which are easily transferred to humans.
Speaking with News men on the sidelines of a one-day retreat organised by the association in Ibadan, withthe theme: ‘Strengthening Surveilance And One Health Responses To Transboundary Animal Diseases In Nigeria’, state chairman, Mr Olayinka Oluwatoyin, said the theme was predicated on the fact there are a lot of disease outbreaks and infections which affect animals and humans.
Oluwatoyin noted, “Many people do not know how they come about the infection affecting them. These infections are within our localities, starting from animals and transmitted to humans within a particular community, but many people do not understand because they do not have knowledge about it.
This is why we professionals in the field of animal health have gathered here to educate and remind ourselves of those diseases that we have been taught about so that as soon as we notice any disease from the local community, we can go through the route of reporting this disease to the appropriate quarters for necessary action to proffer solutions.”
Also, speaking, one of the speakers at the retreat, Mr Aremo Oparinde, said: ”Transboundary animal diseases are the ones that pose significant economic losses to the country through loss of animals and it affects livelihood.
“It is important that whatever changes that we see in our animals in farms, communities or markets, we should report immediately so that the government can work on it. If we do not report it, this disease will punish us by spreading very fast and that is why we are here today.”
Oparinde, therefore, admonished farmers and other stakeholders in the livestock industry to be biosecurity conscious, adding: “They should take their businesses seriously. We as animal health professionals, we are on standby to help them with whatever challenges they may have.” He added
