FCTA begins vaccination of 2 million livestock in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday in Abuja began the vaccination and treatment of two million livestock across the Six Area Councils of the territory.

The Mandate Secretary for the FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, who inaugurated the vaccination at Nyanya Veterinary Clinic, said the initiative would help to curb the outbreak and spread of livestock disease.

The secretary said that the exercise was also necessary because of the growing importance of the livestock sector in the country.

He said that livestock was not just a source for food and nutrition but a sector where economic value is being added to farmers’ life and the larger society.

“Our target is to specifically prevent the outbreak and spread of diseases such as the highly contagious Bovine pleuropneumonia in cattle, Rabies in dogs as well as the pest des petit.

“These diseases have high mortality rate on livestock as well as posing significant threat to public health safety of the residents.”

Ibrahim urged members of the public who own livestock to cooperate with the animal health officials which he said is for free.

He revealed that 90 heath officials of the secretariat have been deployed for the vaccination which would last two weeks in the first phase.

On her part, the Director, Veterinary Services of the secretariat, Dr Regina Adaulugba, said the secretariat is mandated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that livestock-related diseases are eradicated.

According to her, livestock disease causes a lot of mortality and damages in the sector.

“So, the inauguration today is in fulfilment of the mandate at the FCT-ARDS level, we expect that if a cattle is pregnant and is vaccinated it won’t come down with the disease, farmers usually experience losses.”