Participants at the Training demonstrating sample collection, storage and transportation

Abuja - In a bid to mitigate the continuous spill over of diseases from the wild and the spread of the monkey pox (mpox) disease in Nigeria, field veterinarians have been equipped with skills for surveillance and effective collection, handling and processing of samples for early detection of disease in communities and timely response where there is an outbreak.

The week-long capacity building exercise organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) held at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau state from 24 – 28 April 2023. It was conducted through the project “Supporting the response against Monkeypox outbreak in Nigeria according to One Health approach”, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) Fred Kafeero said effective disease surveillance is the bedrock of mitigating the spread of transboundary animal diseases, especially those of zoonotic nature.  

“Recent reports of the spread of monkey pox to states that it was not previously recorded is of concern to us, this informed the decision to quickly build capacities of wildlife veterinary experts on safe handling of samples and transportation to the laboratories, to not only aid early response in case of an incidence but to also check the spread”.

Trainees were drawn from the departments of veterinary services of different states and wildlife parks including rangers, tour guides and park managers.

The training focused on emerging and re-emerging diseases within the context of one health, mpox infection, prevention and control, surveillance, and management of mpox in animals and prevention of spill over of pathogens from wildlife.

Dr. Stanley Reuben of the Plateau state Ministry of Agriculture, department of Veterinary Services said the opportunity of the training has sharpened his knowledge of veterinary epidemiology, especially as relates to wildlife diseases and the interaction at the human-wildlife-animal-environment interface.

“This has given me more confidence towards field work. The experience of the facilitators and the practical demonstrations all have relevance to what we do in the field. Now if we want to carry out surveillance, I am more confident and able to use minimal equipment and agents”.

To concretize the training, practical sessions were organised by the facilitators at NVRI and other relevant venues like the Jos wildlife park and selected hotspots within Jos city. First, traps were set to capture animals, then mobile laboratories were set up and sample collection exercises were carried out with clear demonstration to participants followed by hands-on experience practices around animal sample collection, handling and transportation, hand hygiene, donning and doffing of Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) among others.

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Contact for more details

David Tsokar                                                                                           Uloma MezieOsuocha

Communication Specialist                                                                         Communication for Development

David [email protected]                                                                              [email protected]

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