The Gombe State Government has received more than 200,000 doses of livestock vaccines to combat major animal diseases across the state, as part of sustained efforts to enhance livestock productivity as a catalyst for economic growth and development.
Governor Muhammadu Yahaya disclosed this while receiving the consignment from the National Office of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support, L-PRES, Project at the Veterinary Clinic and Solar-Powered Cold Chain Facility in Tashan Dukku, Gombe.
The vaccines, which will be administered free of charge, are aimed at curbing the spread of deadly animal diseases and protecting the livelihoods of livestock farmers throughout the state.
Receiving the vaccines on behalf of the governor, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, Dr. Barnabas Musa Malle, expressed appreciation to the L-PRES National Office for prioritising Gombe State in its livestock development interventions.
Dr. Malle explained that the vaccines would complement the state’s annual mass vaccination programme, recalling that Gombe State had earlier procured Anthrax vaccines with the support of the L-PRES Project.
“Today, you have delivered vaccines for Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Newcastle Disease and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP). Although Gombe has a large livestock population, these doses will significantly strengthen our annual vaccination efforts. His Excellency is also considering the procurement of additional vaccines to ensure full coverage of the state’s animal population,” Dr. Malle said.
He gave the assurances that the vaccines would be judiciously and effectively utilised, while commending the strong synergy between the State Ministry of Agriculture and the L-PRES Project.
Presenting the consignment, the L-PRES National Coordinator, Dr. Sanusi Abubakar, who was represented by Dr. Sadik Usman, gave a breakdown of the vaccines supplied.
“The consignment includes 150,000 doses of vaccines for Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), 50,000 doses for Newcastle Disease and 4,000 doses for Foot-and-Mouth Disease,” he said.
Dr. Abubakar added that the vaccines were intended to control trans-boundary animal diseases and enhance overall livestock productivity.
The National Coordinator also urged stakeholders to ensure that the vaccines reach the intended beneficiaries, disclosing that another batch, specifically for Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), would soon be delivered to the state.
Also speaking, the Gombe State L-PRES Project Coordinator, Professor Usman Bello Abubakar, described the intervention as critical to the state’s agricultural economy, stressing that prevention remained better than cure.
He identified the targeted diseases as major causes of livestock losses in the region and revealed plans to establish a technical working group to oversee the vaccination exercise.
Professor Abubakar urged herders and livestock farmers across the state to present their animals for the exercise, emphasising that the vaccination programme is free, safe and effective.
The vaccines will be professionally stored and preserved at the newly established solar-powered cold chain facility provided by the Gombe State L-PRES Project to ensure their potency and quality throughout the vaccination campaign.