Institute Tasks African Governments to Address Livestock Diseases

The National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Nigeria has called on Governments across Africa to address the rising cases of livestock diseases or risk devastating economic consequences.

This position resonated at an advocacy and sensitization workshop on foot and mouth disease in Nigeria held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Top on the agenda were global and national control efforts and investment opportunities to bridge the gaps in “last mile vaccine” delivery.

Maryam Muhammed, Executive Director of the National Veterinary Research Institute- NVRI, said Foot and Mouth Disease, FMD, has impacted Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector

She said Nigerian authorities must create long-lasting solutions to eradicate the scourge.

“Foot and Mouth Disease causes lesions in the mouths of animals, they cannot feed. They can not produce milk. Because of that, if this disease affects animals that we use for meat – goat, sheep cattle, pigs – it means they can not produce,” she said.

“It is very important that we control this disease so that our meat and milk production can be secured. Almost 90% of the milk we consume (in Nigeria) is imported.”

Pathway
Professor Andy Peters, a veterinary consultant from the UK, said FMD freedom is an area that Nigeria should be looking into to target exportation.

Professor Andy Peters, a veterinary consultant from the UK, said FMD freedom is an area that Nigeria should be looking into to target exportation.

He also said that one quick solution was the production of very effective last-mile vaccines.

“There are lots of complicated steps in doing this. First of all, Nigeria would have to produce or acquire a vaccine that is both effective but is also safe because there are safety issues with some of these vaccines, but also getting them delivered to what you call the last mile,” he said.

“This is more important, particularly when you have rural populations, that can be quite challenging itself. That is something we have to address to be able to do that as well.”

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WHO) says FMD is a severe and highly contagious disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.

It is estimated to circulate 77% of the global livestock population in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Solutions
The transboundary nature of FMD and its socio-economic impact requires a broad outlook and regional cooperation.

Experts at the workshop said the scourge of FMD in the Nigerian and Sub-Saharan African Livestock industry needed an urgent response and sustainable control of the disease necessitates technical and scientific opinions to deliberate on the latest research data, models and options for the control of FMD, including vaccination.

The annual impact of FMD in terms of visible production losses and vaccination in endemic regions alone has been estimated to cost billions of dollars.

Shakirat Sadiq