Moses Arokoya, President of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), revealed at the 61st Annual National Congress in Jalingo that a staggering 65% of human diseases in Nigeria are zoonotic—originating from livestock. He highlighted that zoonotic diseases are on the rise, contributing to 2.7 million deaths globally each year.
Choosing Taraba for the conference was strategic, as the establishment of a Disease Free Zone (DFZ) on the Mambilla Plateau aims to boost fresh meat production. Arokoya emphasized the necessity for more DFZs nationwide to stimulate economic growth through livestock production.
He also criticized the poor condition of abattoirs, which worsens microbial resistance because many Nigerians consume drugs used for livestock treatment before slaughter. He called for modern abattoirs in all 774 local government areas to tackle this menace.
Arokoya praised President Bola Tinubu’s reforms in the livestock sector and urged the federal government to empower veterinarians. He further requested that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) include veterinarians in disaster intervention policies to enhance emergency preparedness and response.
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