Kogi receives vaccines for transboundary animal disease control

The Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (Kogi L-PRES) Project, has taken delivery of vaccines from the L-PRES National Coordination Office, Abuja for mass vaccination against major Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) in Nigeria.

The vaccination programme under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, aims to improve animal health, enhance livestock productivity, food safety and security in Nigeria.

The vaccines were received on Thursday in Lokoja, by the State Project Coordinator (SPC), Mr Abdulkabir Otaru and handed over to the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr Olufemi Bolarin.

Bolarin commended the Federal Government’s initiative, saying the vaccines would benefit livestock farmers; pastoralists, poultry and small ruminant farmers in the state.

“The impact of this initiative is an increase in the livestock productivity as it would improve animal health,” he said.

Otaru, earlier, described the vaccine delivery as a “critical intervention” that would enhance livestock productivity in Kogi.

According to him, the vaccines include 200,000 Doses of CBPP vaccines, 30,000 Doses of Newcastle Disease vaccines (NCDV), and 3,000 Doses of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines (FMDV).

He said the vaccines would be administered to livestock at the 64 value chain clusters across the 21 local government areas of the state.

Otaru noted that the vaccines would be stored in a cold chain facility established by the Kogi L-PRES project at the Ministry of Livestock Development in the state.

He thanked the National Project Coordinator, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, for his result oriented leadership and support to the state.

Me Ken Agim, Legal Advisor, L-PRES Project, Abuja, who delivered the vaccines, stated that the initiative aligned with Federal Government’s efforts to boost the livestock sector.

He noted that the vaccines, procured by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development through L-PRES, aimed to combat trans-boundary and other diseases affecting livestock nationwide.

“The vaccines are being distributed simultaneously to all 36 states and the FCT, expected to enhance livestock productivity, resilience, and contribute to the economy.

“This follows a similar distribution exercise in 2024, which yielded positive results in boosting livestock productivity,” Agim said.