Agriculture
THE Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has organised a frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) programme for 30 veterinarians in the country.
Prof Lami Lombin, the National Coordinator of ISAVET was one of the speakers at the event on Tuesday in Jos.
Lombin said that the programme was a brainchild of the Emergency Centre for Trans-boundary Disease of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (ECTAD-FAO).
She added that the training was structured into a one-month classroom learning and three-month field experience.
Lombin, the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos said that the 30 participants were drawn from 17 states of the Federation, with 17 female and 13 male veterinarians.
”Today marks yet another historic moment in the veterinary profession; it is an important milestone in our quest to build capacity in early disease detection and response.
”This training is for building capacity of frontline veterinarians serving federal and state governments with relevant skills and competencies needed for containing emerging, re-emerging and trans-boundary animal diseases
”ISAVET is a training structured into a one-month didactic classroom learning and three months field experience to be supervised by trained monitors who are trained epidemiologists
”The training is currently skewed toward the veterinarians in the federal and states civil service.
“It is however our intention to expand the participation of the training and include veterinarians in private practice, military and paramilitary organisations, research institutes and universities,” she said.
Lombin explained that the training was the third phase of the programme, adding that the first set of participants had finished and the second set are currently on the field.
The don asserted that disease prevention and control would only be achieved through a highly motivated and well equipped veterinary workforce, hence the need for the training.
”So far, the country has a total of 30 ISAVET trained frontline veterinarians across 26 states and another 30 trained from 17 states currently in the field as part of the three months field training.
”By the end of 2022, it is expected that we will have a total of 90 trained frontline workers covering 36 states and the FCT,” Lombin said.
Declaring the training open, Dr Maimuna Habib, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON), said that the programme is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Habib explained that the training would technically expose participants to epidemiological activities, disease surveillance, prevention and control in line with global best practices.
She added that the training would sharpen the skills of the participants adding that they would learn a lot of good practices for the benefit of animal and human health.
The chief veterinary officer, who congratulated the participants, thanked USAID for its regular support to the ministry and by extension the Nigerian government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CVON also inaugurated a primary health animal clinic constructed by the ministry at the University of Jos Veterinary Teaching Hospital. (NAN)
KN
Tags: ECTAD-FAO ISAVET Maimuna Habib Prof Lami Lombin USAID
