BY NKECHI NAECHE- ESEZOBOR—The Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) has sympathized with insured livestock farmers and farmer groups whose livestocks were affected by the reported case of Anthrax disease in the country.
According to the statement released to BusinessToday Online that the Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Folashade Joseph, was concerned about the outbreak of the Anthrax disease and its negative effects on the income of livestock farms and the risk to fellow Nigerians who might unknowingly be affected.
She advised the general public on the need to take a NAIC agricultural cover to mitigate against the effects of Anthrax disease and other emerging risks in the agricultural value chain.
The statement which was signed by Assistant General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Magdalene Omosimua, said the provision of insurance solutions for agricultural hazards in a major mandate of the Corporation, which is fully owned by the Federal Government.
She further drew the attention of farming communities and entrepreneurs of impending floods across the country and the need for proper best practices which include taking of a NAIC agricultural insurance cover which is guaranteed to plough those who suffer losses back to prosperity.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), last month confirmed one case of Anthrax disease in a mixed livestock farm in Niger State. This is the first animal case to be reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the West Africa outbreak in Ghana in June 2023.
On 13th July 2023, the sudden deaths of livestock in this farm with eight (8) mortality was reported. In addition, the animals who died were observed to have been bleeding from external orifices without blood clotting.
Following this report, samples were collected on 14th July 2023 from multiple species in this livestock farm and transported to the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), VOM, Plateau State for testing and the results were positive for anthrax.
Further investigation is also ongoing to trace the source of the infection and to identify the spread to other farms and humans. Though human exposure has been reported, there are no reports so far of human symptoms or mortality.
The FMARD and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) are currently working closely with the Niger State Ministries of Health and Agriculture to identify, isolate and follow up all exposed persons
