Vet doctors urge Nasarawa to declare abattoir emergency

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has issued a stark warning regarding the deplorable sanitary conditions at the Lafia Modern Abattoir in Nasarawa State, urging the government to take immediate and decisive action by declaring a state of emergency. Our correspondent reports that the association's president, Dr. Moses Arokoyo, expressed grave concern following a visit to the facility, emphasizing that the current state of the abattoir presents a significant public health hazard.

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You can not have an abattoir without water. It is a risk, not just to all of us. This is not a place where animals should be slaughtered. This is a public health risk.

Dr. Arokoyo described the abattoir as a breeding ground for disease, particularly highlighting the risk of anthrax, which he warned could lead to thousands of deaths and take years to eradicate due to the contaminated flooring and lack of water. The absence of basic facilities like running water and proper sanitation means that animal slaughter for public consumption is occurring in conditions that are not just unhygienic but actively dangerous. This situation is not merely an inconvenience; it is a direct threat to the health and well-being of both the workers and the consumers who rely on the meat produced there.

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If we have an outbreak of anthrax here, people would die in their thousands, If you have a single case of anthrax in this kind of place, it won’t be for one year, with the kind of floor I have seen here, with the shortage of water supply, if mistakenly there is an outbreak of anthrax here, it will not be eradicated in three years.

The NVMA's call for a state of emergency is a critical plea for governmental intervention. They advocate for the reconstruction and equipping of the abattoir with essential water and sanitation systems, alongside stringent monitoring of operators to ensure compliance with public health laws. Furthermore, the association pointed out the alarming scarcity of veterinary personnel in the state, with only six veterinarians serving 13 local government areas. This understaffing exacerbates the challenge of ensuring food safety and public health, making the abattoir's dire condition an urgent matter that cannot be postponed.

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Therefore, to the government, if I am permitted to say, I would say declare a state of emergency concerning this abattoir. It is not something to postpone. Hundreds of cattle have been slaughtered here, and I mean for public consumption. So, a state of emergency should be declared concerning the abattoir.