Disease Outbreak: More Than 1000 Cattle Died As Taraba Government, FG Act To Stop Infection

Following the discovery of an epidemic of the fatal livestock disease hemorrhagic septicemia in the Sardauna Local Government Area, the Taraba State government has imposed a prohibition on the movement of cattle to and from the Mambilla Plateau.

More than a thousand animals have already died as a result of this disease.

As a result, the state government has notified nearby states to take preventative action to stop the spread, working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Initiatives for vaccination and treatment have been launched in the impacted regions.

The Taraba State Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Nathan Francis, underlined the significance of this cooperation during a news conference in Jalingo in order to contain the outbreak and stop it from spreading to other nearby local government areas and the Republic of Cameroon.

According to Dr. Francis, “the Mambilla Plateau has the highest concentration of livestock in Nigeria, with an estimated population of about 800,000 to one million.” “On the Mambilla Plateau, veterinary staff are currently administering drugs that we have procured. Furthermore, in order to start a widespread immunization campaign that will also cover nearby local governments like Gashaka, Kurmi, and portions of Takum, we have obtained hemorrhagic septicemia vaccines.

Dr. Francis also mentioned this:

“We have prohibited the transportation of livestock to and from the Mambilla Plateau in the interim. But there are obstacles in our way, such as a lack of cold chain facilities, financial resources, and pharmaceuticals and vaccinations.

“We are tackling a mixed infection, as we are dealing with both contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and hemorrhagic septicemia.”

He gave the people reassurance by saying:

“I want to reassure people that everything is in control in order to calm them down. Humans are not affected by this illness, and eating meat is safe as long as it is prepared correctly. The Republic of Cameroon borders Sardauna Local Government Area. In order to implement effective control measures, we must work with Cameroonian authorities to contain the spread through ring vaccination.”

In order to assist the state in controlling the outbreak, the Federal Government’s National Rapid Response Team, under the direction of Dr. Ajani Oyetunji, Deputy Director of the Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has also been sent to Taraba. According to Dr. Oyetunji, more than 15,000 animals have already been impacted.

Dr. Oyetunji clarified, saying, “The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria issued the order for the National Rapid Response Team to be sent to Taraba. Our goal is to reinforce the response, coordinate efforts with the state’s response actions, and complement them.

“Improving the surveillance system to identify the illness as soon as feasible and reintroducing case management to appropriately treat afflicted animals is one of our reaction plans. Furthermore, we are teaching farmers how to keep the disease off their crops.

He added that:

“The Federal Government has given cold chain facilities, reporting systems, and vital veterinary resources, as well as improved the ability of veterinarians in Taraba. Through efficient animal health services provided nationwide, this initiative seeks to enhance livestock productivity in keeping with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to guarantee food security.

Governor Agbu Kefas conveyed the state’s proactive effort to curbing the spread and their gratitude for the cooperation from the federal government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through Zanau Maikasuwa, his Special Adviser on Agriculture and Food Security.

“The state government will not allow businesses to collapse due to diseases; we recognize that cattle farming is a major source of income for our residents.”

In addition, Maikasuwa remarked, “We are pleading for assistance to open a diagnostic center in Taraba to promptly identify and address the diseases affecting the state.”