The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday in Abuja, started the vaccination and treatment of two million livestock across the six area councils of the territory.

The mandate secretary for the FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Abubakar Ibrahim, who inaugurated the vaccination, said the initiative would help curb the outbreak and spread of livestock disease.

The secretary said the exercise was also necessary because of the growing importance of the livestock sector in the country.

He said that livestock was not just a source of food and nutrition but a sector where economic value is being added to farmers’ life and the larger society.

“Our target is to specifically prevent the outbreak and spread of diseases such as the highly contagious Bovine pleuropneumonia in cattle, Rabies in dogs as well as the pest des petit.

“These diseases have a high mortality rate on livestock as well as posing a significant threat to public health safety of the residents.”

Mr Ibrahim urged members of the public who own livestock to cooperate with the animal health officials for a free vaccination.

He revealed that 90 heath officials of the secretariat had been deployed for the vaccination, which would last two weeks in the first phase.

The director, Veterinary Services of the secretariat, Regina Adaulugba, said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture mandates the administration to ensure that livestock-related diseases are eradicated.

“So, the inauguration today is in fulfilment of the mandate at the FCT-ARDS level, we expect that if a cattle is pregnant and is vaccinated it won’t come down with the disease, farmers usually experience losses.” 

(NAN)