The Oyo State Government in collaboration with the Federal ministry of Agriculture over the weekend trained about 50 disease surveillance agents on accurate reporting of animal diseases in the state.
Declaring the 3-day training open in Ibadan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said the training is aimed at improving disease surveillance and swift response.
He said the epidemiology training was organized by the Regional Disease Surveillance Enhancement (REDISSE) Project in collaboration with the Oyo State Government.
He added that the programme will help in the prevention and control of animal diseases in the state and the nation at large.
The Commissioner reiterated that though Oyo State has not recorded any cases of anthrax disease so far, all hands must be on deck to prevent its outbreak.
He added that the Oyo State government has put all the machinery in place to prevent its outbreak.
Barr. Olasunkanmi said, “Oyo State Government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde has put every measure in place in preventing the animal disease -Anthrax”.
Some of the efforts put in place, according to him, are mass media sensitization and on-the-spot assessments at abattoirs and livestock markets in the state to educate stakeholders on the outbreak of anthrax in the country.
While expressing gratitude on behalf of Engr. Seyi Makinde to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Commissioner enjoined the participants to be attentive and focus on the assignment before them, bearing in mind that they are ambassadors for the state.
He stressed that knowledge acquired would go a long way in protecting animals and human lives from the dangers of the epidemic.
Speaking on the importance of the training, the facilitator from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Akinola, said the training of para-professional veterinarians and animal health workers in both government and private establishments in the state on how to report animal diseases is timely.
She noted that, “we have been reporting diseases but the training would help on how to improve the quality of reporting”.
Mrs. Akinola added that by doing so, international and local partners would know the status of the disease in each state and provide the necessary vaccines to prevent its spread.
“This would help protect animals as well as humans,”, according to her.
She equally hinted that most human diseases are zoonotic, which are spread from animals to humans, and if they are accurately reported, it would help enhance a hygienic environment.
Dr. Akinola commended the Oyo State Government for its prompt action against the disease through various sensitization programmes for stakeholders, especially butchers.
She also affirmed that no anthrax case has been recorded in Oyo State.
Thanking the organisers of the training, Mr. John Fabunmi and Mrs. Aina Akinola, who spoke on behalf of the participants, said the training was a refresher course coming at the right time.
They promised to be active in their responsibilities to ensure animal diseases were accurately reported to avert outbreaks of diseases in the state and Nigeria at large.
