The Federal Government has vowed to upgrade all the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals across the country as its also committed to completing the National Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Abuja.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made this known on Tuesday while speaking at the 55th Annual Congress of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association in Sokoto.
Osinbanjo said the government will continue to promote and provide the enabling environment for effective veterinary practice in line with global best practices.
The Vice President, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz M. Abdullahi, appreciated the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association for significant contributions to national development, adding that its support and advancement in livestock development and production is commendable.
He said: “The Federal Government applauds the efforts of veterinarians in the control and prevention of dreadful animal diseases of economic and public health significance such as avian influenza, peste de petit ruminant, African swine fever, Lassa Fever, rabies, Bovine.”
Osinbajo said the objective of the conference is to strengthen veterinary practice in Nigeria.
It is expected that the conference would provide solutions to the global challenges such as climate change, emerging diseases, poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
Speaking on the veterinarian contributions to the Nigerian economy, Osinbajo said some veterinarians have transformed to successful entrepreneur and have created jobs for thousands of Nigerians through the establishment of small and medium scale veterinary related business such as pharmaceutical companies, livestock and poultry farms, diagnostic laboratories, feed mills, clinics, meat and milk processing plants.
He said: “These success by your members serves as an impetus to government and we will continue to engage young veterinary graduates in entrepreneurial and skills development programmes.”
Osinbajo therefore called on the state and local government to continue to employ veterinarians into their respective services.
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