By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Epidemiology Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Semiu Akibu has asked butchers association, cattle dealers and other stakeholders to remain vigilant on Anthrax disease.
Dr Akibu said this at the weekend during a sensitisation on Anthrax, by the Oyo State Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in collaboration with Ardor Fulani, butchers association, cattle dealers and other stakeholders.
The Epidemiology Officer said in doing this, the cattle breeders should henceforth, promptly report any suspicious illness or death of their animals and that early detection and vaccination remains the most effective preventive measures against Anthrax.
According to Dr Akibu, prevention is better than cure, hence the need for cattle breeders to always engage the service of veterinary doctors to keep their animals healthy and safe for consumption.
Speaking, Chairman of Oyo State Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim hailed Gov Seyi Makinde, for taking a swift action and putting in place various measures to curtail the outbreak of Anthrax in the state particularly the conduct of sensitisation programmes for relevant stakeholders.
Represented by Alhaji Bello Yakubu, the Miyetti Allah Chairman said the sensitization programme was about safety of lives as regards the Anthrax disease, which affects both animals and human beings.
Commending Gov Makinde for catering for the plight of cattle breeders sometimes last year when their animals were vaccinated free of charge, Alhaji Ibrahim charged the governor to continue with the gesture to prevent the outbreak of the virus in Oyo State adding that the association would also give all necessary support in ensuring that the disease is curtailed.
In his remarks Oyo state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye affirmed that no case of anthrax had been recorded in Oyo State, as all hands had been on deck to ensure adherence to safety measures.
” We have been to several places in the state to give sensitisation on the imminence of the Anthrax disease in Oyo State and we thank God that as of today, there has not been any report of anthrax case in Oyo State”, he said.
The commissioner added, ” We want to give kudos to His Excellency for his prompt intervention in line with the collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, so that we would give a lot of sensitisation to the public.Actually, we have been able to meet with all the stakeholders in all the cattle markets in the state, informing them of the disease and how to know symptoms in relation to Anthrax.”
