By Stanley Onyekwere
In the wake of the recent outbreak of anthrax in Suleja in Niger State, the FCT Administration has commenced free vaccination of animals across the 64 Wards of the six Area Councils of Abuja, targeting at least one million cattle, as part of the proactive measures against the disease.
The FCTA through its Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), said it procured and deployed one million doses of the most effective vaccine for the fight against anthrax in the FCT.
Flagging off the exercise yesterday, at the Paiko-Kore Grazing Reserves, in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, Alh. Abubakar Sadeeq, the Acting Secretary of ARDS, said the exercise will be carried for the next four weeks, within which they would able to cover a lot of ground, and those not covered for any reason, the clinic will be kept open for them to get vaccinated.
This, Sadeeq said is taking place concurrently in the six Area Councils of the FCT, and the doctors are enough, and going to carry it out within this period
According to him, they are going to major Fulani settlements, and for easy coverage, they have arrangements with motorcycles that would convey them to all the nooks and crannies of the FCT.
“We have come to administer anthrax vaccine to animals around here, sometimes ago we were informed there is the outbreak of anthrax in Ghana, and about two weeks ago, it was confirmed to be in Suleja in Niger State, which is a stone away from FCT, in order to be proactive, approval was granted by the FCTA Permanent Secretary, for the purchase of the vaccines, which we procured immediately, and decided to commence the vaccination of all the animals in FCT.
“We have one million doses of vaccines in stock for now, and if need be, we will add more. That’s targeting one million cattle for now.
These vaccines are for free, as nobody is to pay anything to anybody or our staff who are going to do it. The FCTA actually got the most effective vaccine, as it is currently being used for the fight against anthrax in the FCT.
“The cattle headers should cooperate with our Veterinary Doctors, as soon as they noticed any of the signs of the disease- that’s bleeding from the nose, ear and anus of their animal, they should get across to our facilities or doctors around.
“Also, they should not sell any of the animals with these symptoms or acquire animals from outside FCT, because they don’t know where they are coming from, as it may infect the ones in their stock”, he stressed.
Similarly, the Director, ARDS Veterinary Services, Dr. Regina Adulugba, described Anthrax as a “fatal disease” to both animal and humans, which can be contracted through open wounds, airborne and from consuming infected animals.
Adulugba said, “the best protection against the disease is vaccinating the animals and that is what we are here to do.
“It is deadly because it is zoonotic. Zoonotic means it can affect human and it can affect animals. So, it is dangerous, and it spread by too many means.
“If you have a wounded skin, it can affect the wound and then infect the person, or it can spread even through the air, or it can spread from consumption of meat.
“That is why we advised them not to slaughter any sick animal for now. If an animal is sick, they should allow it to die and then we see if it is positive.
“It is safer for them as cattle owners, their children and their family, because it can affect human and it is very deadly in human as it is deadly in animals.”
Reacting to the development, Chairman, Abuja chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association Nigeria (MACBAN), Malam Yahaya Isa, who described it as a welcome and impressive initiative, however urged the ARDS personnel to maintain standard practice.
Isa, who doubles as the Deputy National Secretary, of the Association, said on behalf of the entire Fulani community all over FCT, “we are very pleased and happy with what is happening today, as no any state has taken first step like Abuja (FCT) and assure you that we are fully prepared to comply with whatever the arrangement they have put in place.
“The Fulanis are overwhelmed with this intervention, but we want to appeal to the core staff of the relevant department of the ARDS to try to be up to standard, as our people are ready to cooperate with them everywhere. In each Area Council, we will even mobilise some youth group to give them back up wherever they are going for the exercise, because of the security challenges.”
