Bauchi spends N44m on livestock vaccination
The Bauchi State Government has set aside N44 million for the state's 20 local government areas' annual livestock mass vaccination campaign in 2023.
Governor Bala Mohammed stated this in his speech at the exercise's launch on Monday in Kangere, Bauchi LGA.
He stated that his administration has supported the Annual Livestock Vaccination Campaign since its inception due to its importance in preventing animal disease outbreaks and ensuring disease-free and profitable animal production in the state.
"Annual Vaccines provide one-year immunity against major Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADS). This necessitates the annual practice of vaccinating our animals.
"For the year 2023, I gave approval for the release of the sum of N44 million to the Ministry of Agriculture for the conduct of the vaccinating campaign across the state.
"As part of the exercise, the New Cattle Disease (CD-12) vaccine has been added to the two major vaccines normally administered in the state (Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Pestes de Pestes Ruminanciumk)" (PPR). The newly introduced NCD-12 vaccine will be administered to local chickens owned by our rural people in order to prevent annual losses due to New Castle Disease.
"So far, one million doses (10,000 vials) of CBPP vaccine for cattle, 500,000 doses (500 vials) of PPR vaccine for sheep and goat, and 400,000 doses (2,000 vials) of NCD-12 vaccine for poultry have been procured and are ready for administration to three (3) categories of animals across the state's 20 local government areas," he said.
Mohammed urged the Ministry of Agriculture staff involved in the vaccination exercise to remain committed and ensure that all nooks and crannies of the state are adequately covered, and he urged the benefiting stakeholders to cooperate with the staff by bringing out their animals to be vaccinated in large numbers.
He stated that the livestock subsector's role in protein provision and economic empowerment made it necessary to improve and strengthen veterinary services in the state.
He promised to construct a modern veterinary specialist clinic on Ran Road in Bauchi to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of veterinary service delivery, as well as a referral veterinary facility to serve the people and generate revenue for the state.
"The contract has been awarded, the construction site has been formally handed over to the contractor, and mobilization funds will be made available to the contracting firm to ensure that work on the project can begin immediately," the governor added.
"Furthermore, since last year, approval has also been granted for the employment of 40 veterinary medical students of Bauchi State origin who have already been appointed and started getting their monthly salaries.
"Despite a lack of funds, we decided to keep the Veterinary Medical Students Employment Scheme that we inherited from previous administrations because of the critical role it plays in providing wholesome animal products, jobs and wealth creation, as well as food security and safety."
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