Reps Urge NCDC, Agric Ministry, Others To Halt Anthrax Spread

• The House of Representatives urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with relevant stakeholders to implement effective anthrax surveillance, vaccination, and awareness campaigns
• The House also demanded adequate resources and assistance for affected communities
• The House urged the National Centre for Disease Control to implement measures to prevent the disease from spreading further

The House of Representatives urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Tuesday to work with relevant stakeholders to implement effective anthrax surveillance, vaccination, and awareness campaigns.

It also demanded adequate resources and assistance for affected communities.

It also urged the National Centre for Disease Control to implement measures to prevent the disease from spreading further.

This came after Adamu Tanko (PDP, Niger) proposed a motion.

In presenting the motion, he stated that the National Veterinary Research Institute’s laboratory test on the collected samples confirmed the first reported case at a livestock farm located at Gayin village along the Abuja Motorway in Suleija, Niger State.

He stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had already issued a report on the presence of Anthrax in Nigeria.

He said:

Similar cases of the diseases were confirmed in Northern Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo with symptoms, including sudden death and blood oozing from natural body openings (nose, ear, mouth, and anal region) and spread through affected livestock, bush meat, and contaminated environments.

Anthrax may affect humans in direct contact with affected animals and contaminated products with potential inhalation through spores or wounds

According to him, there is an urgent need for proactive measures to prevent the spread of anthrax in Nigeria and protect citizens’ health and livelihoods, such as strict surveillance and monitoring of livestock farms and proper disposal of infected animals and contaminated materials.

The House adopted the motion, and its Committees on Agricultural Production and Services | and Legislative Compliance (when formed) were charged with monitoring compliance.