Anthrax: Oyo Govt, FG Train 50 Surveillance Agents

• Oyo State trains 50 agents with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on precise animal disease reporting, emphasizing prevention and control
• Oyo State partners with the federal ministry to train agents, and enhance disease surveillance and response, aiming to prevent animal diseases

The Oyo State government, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has trained approximately 50 disease surveillance agents in the state on accurate reporting of animal diseases.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye declared the three-day training open in Ibadan, saying it aimed to improve disease surveillance and response time.

He stated that the epidemiology training was organized in collaboration with the Oyo State government by the Regional Disease Surveillance Enhancement (REDISSE) Project.

He went on to say that the program will aid in preventing and controlling animal diseases in the state and throughout the country.

The commissioner emphasized that, while Oyo State had not yet recorded a case of anthrax disease, all hands must be on deck to prevent its spread.

He also stated that the Oyo State government had put all necessary measures in place to prevent the outbreak.

Speaking on the significance of the training, Dr. Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Akinola of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that training para-professional veterinarians and animal health workers in government and private establishments in the state on how to report animal diseases is timely.

Anthrax: Benue govt cautions residents on consumption of dead animals

The Benue state government has cautioned residents against the consumption of dead animals to avert contracting anthrax disease.

The Chairman of the state Committee on Prevention and Control of Anthrax and Director of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Edward Amali, who gave the advice Thursday in Makurdi, said the call became necessary following the discovery that some butchers were in the habit of slaughtering and selling already dead animals.

He condemned the practice assuring that the government would embark on house-to-house sensitisation to get the people conscientious on the dangers of the diseases.