Nigerian veterinarians key to national development — NVMA President

The President of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr Moses Arokoyo, has underscored the critical role of veterinarians in national development.

He highlighted the urgent need to prioritize food security and combat zoonotic diseases while emphasizing the significance of mass livestock vaccination to prevent economically devastating outbreaks.

Dr Arokoyo stated this at the Annual Leadership Summit/Investiture of the NVMA, with the theme ‘Repositioning the Veterinary Profession for Food Security and National Development’.

He stressed the importance of deploying veterinarians across local government areas to support disease surveillance and intervention, pointing out the potential repercussions of a single disease outbreak on national activities.

Furthermore, Arokoyo outlined how veterinarians could significantly contribute to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through innovative livestock management practices and strategic public-private partnerships.

He appealed for the government’s support and empowerment of the veterinary profession, citing the economic impact of various veterinary interventions.

The NVMA President further advocated for increased veterinarian employment to ensure livestock welfare and food security, while urging the government to reconsider its decision to defund the Veterinary Council of Nigeria to mitigate negative consequences on public health and food security.

“Veterinarians can contribute N420 billion to the nation’s GDP, today we’re talking about the positioning of veterinary professions for food security and national development. We believe very strongly that veterinarians have a very significant role to play in national development and particularly for food security,” he said.

Also, the President of Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN), AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju, emphasized the role of veterinarians in addressing food insecurity and supporting the country’s livestock reform agenda.

She reiterated the commitment to repositioning the veterinary profession to align with the nation’s development objectives and ensure sustainable food security for all Nigerians.