TheCable

The agricultural and rural development secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun a mass vaccination of cattle to curb the spread of anthrax disease in the capital city.

Ishaq Sadeeq, acting secretary of the secretariat, inaugurated the exercise on Monday in Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve, Gwagwalada area council, Abuja.

Anthrax is an infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria, Bacillus anthracis. It typically affects ruminants such as cows, sheep, and goats.

It is a zoonotic disease — that means it is transmissible from contaminated animals to humans.

Sadeeq said the mass vaccination exercise would last for four weeks and is targeting at least one million cattle across the six area councils of the FCT.

He added that the move became necessary following the confirmation of the disease in Niger, one of the states bordering the FCT.

“The FCT Administration had since the announcement of the outbreak in Ghana earlier this year, carried out a series of outreach campaigns to sensitise residents, particularly livestock owners and butchers, about anthrax disease,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“The sensitisation was to avail them with the knowledge of signs and symptoms, as well as effective measures they can adopt to protect themselves and their animals from contracting and spreading the disease.”

APPEAL FOR COOPERATION 

He appealed for the cooperation of livestock owners with the veterinary health workers, to ensure the success of the exercise.

He also advised livestock owners against selling or slaughtering any animal with visible symptoms of the disease, and to report suspected cases to any of the FCT veterinary clinics.

“While our veterinary personnel have been put on alert to attend to any emergency cases, we will be working closely with the Health and Human Services Secretariat to attend to human cases involving livestock owners,” he said.

Also speaking, Yahaya Isa, chairman, FCT chapter of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said the move would not only protect livestock against the disease, but also save investment and human lives.

“The entire Fulani herders’ community are happy and are fully prepared to comply with the arrangement,” he said.

“Our people are ready to cooperate with the officials everywhere.

“We have even mobilised in each area council, some group of youths to back them up wherever they are going.”