FG gives update on bird flu, clarifies issues with compensation

As FAO presents report on disease surveillance The Federal Government said Zamfara State is the latest state to join the list of more than 20 states affected by Avian Influenza (bird flu) in Nigeria. Dr Maimuna Habib, a director in the Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services (DVPCS) at the federal ministry of agriculture […]

• As FAO presents report on disease surveillance

The Federal Government said Zamfara State is the latest state to join the list of more than 20 states affected by Avian Influenza (bird flu) in Nigeria.

Dr Maimuna Habib, a director in the Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services (DVPCS) at the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development, stated this in Abuja at a twin workshop on Strengthening National Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Outbreak and National Workforce Development Strategy organized by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in partnership with the ministry.

She said a lot of states are affected by the disease, adding that the ministry is fighting the disease using biosecurity.

“You know in avian influenza, there is no vaccination. We have to use biosecurity. Some of these farmers are not doing the right thing. We advised them to insure their animals,” she said.

Dr. Habib, while explaining the current state of compensation and the issues around it, said: “for government, compensation is what all farmers believe in and compensation cannot be done if you have more than 3,000 birds. And again, we have laid some conditions for compensation:  you have to have proper biosecurity in place and your birds must be insured with an insurance company. And we encourage people to insure with the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation.”

Speaking on the farmers’ unwillingness to report the disease, she said: “that is the problem we have. We at the federal level develop policies for them. The states and local governments must have a form of follow up with these farmers to ensure that they are doing the right thing. How do they do it? Most of them use quacks in their farms. They have to get proper veterinary services in their farms for the birds, but it’s difficult for us to get them to do that.

Dr. Ayodele Majekodunmi, National Project Coordinator of the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases in Nigeria while presenting the 2021 Report & 2022 Work plan, said 30 veterinarians across 26 states were trained to deal with emerging and re-emerging animal and zoonotic diseases in the country.

The national coordinator said the UN agency will also train another 60 veterinarians to cover the whole country, including veterinarians from the private sector.