Bauchi State on Saturday urged stakeholders to adopt preventive measures to reduce the risks of infectious disease transmission in livestock.

Ibrahim Bello, director of veterinary services at the state’s Ministry of Agriculture, advised during a lecture organised by the National Association of Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists on Saturday.

“Stakeholders must do everything possible to reduce the chances of infectious diseases being spread to farms by humans, animals, equipment, or vehicles.

“Animal health workers must always take preventive measures against disease transmission from animals to humans as front-liners in the fight against animal diseases,’’ he said.

Mr Bello emphasised the significance of biosecurity among animal health workers, either at veterinary clinics or during ambulatory services at various homes and farms.

He also called on herders, butchers, and other processors to constantly protect themselves from animal disease transmission and to sell, buy and slaughter only healthy animals.

Earlier, Lamido Muhammad, the Bauchi State chairman of the Nigerian Association of Animal Health and Husbandry Technologists, said the sensitisation lecture was to keep stakeholders abreast of the outbreak of anthrax in some parts of the country.

Anthrax is a disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax spores in the soil are resistant and can cause diseases when ingested, even years after an outbreak.

People can get sick with anthrax if they come into contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.

(NAN)