Adamawa commences vaccination program for transboundary animal diseases

The state government of Adamawa has started immunising animals in large quantities against diseases that can spread across borders.

Transboundary animal illnesses are highly transmissible epidemics that affect livestock and can spread quickly to new areas both inside and outside of borders. These diseases can have detrimental effects on the economy and public health.

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), foot and mouth diseases (FMD), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), African swine fever (ASF), animal trypanosomosis, and tick-borne infections are among the major transboundary animal diseases that are frequently reported in and around Nigeria.

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The federal government declared in December 2022, exactly one year ago, that transboundary animal diseases were costing Nigeria N29 billion a year.

At the commencement of the vaccination campaign at the Girei Cattle Market in the Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri stated that immunising livestock against transboundary illnesses is a reliable method of safeguarding public health.

Represented on the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Dr Edgar Amos Sunday, Governor Fintiri said the livestock subsector contributes considerably to Adamawa’s gross domestic product, thus his administration’s drive to accord the sector priority.

The governor declared, “Vaccine is necessary to stem the tide of animal-borne diseases, thereby improving public health and the prevalence of the disease for the better.”

Tijjani Maksha, the state commissioner for livestock and aquaculture development, stated in his remarks that the vaccine programme is for peste des petits ruminants and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.

The Executive Chairman of Girei Local Government Council, Mr Juda Amisa and the District Head of Girei, Ahmed Ibrahim Mustafa praised the immunisation effort as a manner of ensuring sustained public health as well as economic growth and development.