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 three day-training open in Ibadan, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said that the training, is aimed at improving disease surveillance and swift response.
He said that the epidemiology training was organised by the Regional Disease Surveillance Enhancement, REDISSE, Project in collaboration with Oyo State government.
He added that the programme will help the prevention and control of animal diseases not only in the state, but the nation at large.
He informed that despite that Oyo State has not recorded any case of the anthrax disease so far, all hands must be on deck to prevent its outbreak, adding that the Oyo State Government has put all machineries in place to prevent its outbreak.
Barr. Olasunkanmi said, “Oyo State government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde has put every measures in place in preventing the animal disease – Anthrax.”
He informed that some of the measures put in place to prevent the outbreak if the disease include: mass media sensitization, on the spot assessment to abattoirs and livestock markets in the state to educate stakeholders on the outbreak of anthrax in the country.
Expressing gratitude to the Federal Government on behalf of Engr. Makinde, 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 the knowledge acquired would go a long way in protecting animals and human lives from dangers of the epidemic.
Harping on the importance of the training, the facilitator from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Akinola, said that the training of para-professional veterinaries and animal health workers in both government and orivate establishments in the state on how to report animal diseases is timely.
She noted, “We have been reporting diseases, but the training would help on how to improve the quality of reporting.”
Mrs. Akinola added that by this, international and local partners would know the status of the disease in each state and provide necessary vaccines to prevent its spread.
She added, “This would help in protecting animals as well as man.”
She equally hinted that most human diseases are zoonotic – which are spread from animals to human and if it is accurately reported, it would help enhance hygienic environment.
Dr. Akinola commended the Oyo State government for its prompt action against the disease, through various sensitisation programmess for stakeholders, especially butchers.
She also affirmed that no anthrax case has been recorded in Oyo State.
Thanking the organizers of the training, Mr. John Fabunmi and Mrs. Aina Akinola who spoke on behalf of the participants said that 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 outbreak of diseases in the state and Nigeria at large.
