UYO
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD) has flagged off a Tsetse fly surveillance, community sensitisation, and vector control operations across livestock settlements and markets in parts of Akwa Ibom, with a call for renewed zeal to fight the hazardous nature of tsetse fly infestation in the state’s livestock industry.
State coordinator, FMLD, Mrs Ikankeabasi Ukpong, made the call when she hosted the vector surveillance and control team in her office in Uyo on Monday.
Ukpong, who said about 12 species of Tsetse fly (genus Glossina) have been identified in Nigeria, identified Glossina as the biological genus of tsetse flies, notorious for transmitting African trypanosomiasis also known as sleeping sickness.
She said these groups of tsetse flies often transmit the parasites to humans and animals, adding “The name Glossina is a Greek word which means ‘tongue’ as seen in their proboscis. They are the causative agent of human sleeping sickness in humans and African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) in livestock. AAT is commonly known as Nagana.
“This leads to severe economic losses due to weight loss, anaemia, reduction in milk or meat production.
“Nagana affects cattle, sheep, and goats; advanced symptoms are drowsiness.”
She said that of the identified groups of tsetse flies, the Glosdina palpalis had been endemic to the South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, pointing out that since Akwa Ibom lies within the humid tropical zone, the palpalis group usually thrives around the numerous rivers.
“In this survey, we will intensify efforts to cover riverine areas like Itu, Mbo, and Oron Local Government Areas.
“We will also work on the cattle domain in Itam. With God on our sides, we will have a successful surveillance to curb tsetse infestation in Akwa Ibom State,” she said.
In his remarks, the State Director of Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Teddy Essien, expressed the state government’s appreciation to the Federal Government and the FMLD for giving priority to the area.
Essien added that the state had been collaborating with the federal government in key areas of its agricultural programmes, adding that no fewer than six collaborations had been undertaken so far, this year.
He also assured that the team would be taken around the key areas to actualise its advocacy against the spread of the zonotic disease, saying, “There is no doubt that this vision will further benefit the people of Akwa Ibom and impact on the state’s economy.
“Please we also require feedback. Let’s know what happened in the field, the location you went to and so on,” Essien said.
Similarly, the team leader, Mr Gilbert Okoro, who addressed the ‘entry meeting’, also expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be in Akwa Ibom for the exercise which, he said, would go a long way to boost animal health and that of farmers in the endemic areas.
Okoro said the exercise was a nationwide project against the spread of the transboundary sickness affecting both humans and animals.
He said that it was the desire of the federal government to curtail the transboundary pest in all the geopolitical zones of the country, adding that the team would set traps and later harvest the trapped flies in areas where the surveillance occurred.
The team will visit Itu, Mbo, and Oron Local Government Areas, including the cattle domain in Itam, with a view to curbing tsetse infestation in those areas.
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