By Felicia lmohimi
The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has recommended monthly decontamination of livestock markets, slaughter slabs and other veterinary premises within Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Dr Aishatu Abubakar-Baju, the President of VCN made the recommendation at the launching of the decontamination of premises of area councils of FCT against COVID-19 on Friday in Abuja organised by AMAC in collaboration with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria.
Abubakar-Baju said that the measure would ensure and bring about quality assurance of products from such sites like eggs, hides and skins, milk among others as well as the protection of human health through good animal health.
She said that it would as well improve quality of life of their operators.
Describing the exercise as epoch making event, the president reaffirmed that COVID-19 had assumed a pandemic status.
“The FCT-wide decontamination exercise on April 25 at Garki International Market live bird market by the Minister of State of FCT Ramatu Aliyu.
“The veterinary and animal-related sites and premises in the FCT have been duly profiled by my team and it is expected that at the end of three-day FCT wide decontamination programme, all the sites must have been adequately and properly covered.
“The exercise though focusing on COVID-19, will also control other animal diseases causing pathogens including those of public health and economic importance.
“The decontamination exercise is therefore ultimately geared toward the provision and protection of human health through good animal health.
“In realisation of the need for everyone and all agencies to bring to bear their professional and individual capacities and competencies in the fight against COVID-19.
“The VCN has taken it upon itself to initiate and implement a nationwide decontamination of birds markets, abattoirs, slaughter houses/slabs, livestock markets, control post, veterinary practicing premises and other veterinary and animal-related sites.
“We are confident that with the support of the various strata of government and other public-spirited individuals, this programme will drastically reduce the exposure potential of our people to this dreaded disease to the glory of God Almighty,” she assured.
Abubakar-Baju said that the outbreak of the disease and its assumption as a pandemic was an embarrassment to governments and individuals across the world including Nigeria.
She noted that the pandemic had literally brought the global health system and governments to their knees causing the process a of panic and devastation.
“The outbreak of the disease and its assumption as a pandemic is an embarrassment to governments and individuals across the world including Nigeria.
“The pandemic has literally brought the global health system and governments to their knees causing the panic and devastation.
“While science and technology continue to battle for the development and utilisation of effective vaccines and other medical products against the disease, we continue to apply equally effective alternative disease control strategies and measures against this dreaded COVID-19.
“One of the most applied and cost -effective control measures against the disease is institution of good biosecurity measures, especially decontamination of human and animal habitations.
“Decontamination reduces and in most cases totally eliminates disease-causing microbes from the environment as well as human and animal habitations making these places safe for productive activities.’’ (NAN)
