By Rita Michael
Bauchi
About 95 butchers have been affected with an animal related diseases known as Brucellosis in Bauchi State.
The Deputy Director, Veterinary Services, Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Istipanus Irimiya, disclosed this while in Bauchi yesterday.
According to him, the figure was out of the 224 butchers from Bauchi, Misau and Katagum local government areas where they tested positive to laboratory screeing.
Irimiya said that Brucellosis was a contagious disease transmitted by ruminants to human beings particularly butchers, herdsmen and veterinarians who interact with such animals.
“The disease is transmitted through consumption of unboiled milk, meat, raw meat, blood of the infected animals as well as lack of proper sanitation and hygiene.
“The symptoms of the disease includes high fever, headache, sweating at night, victims at times cannot talk, abortion in pregnant woman,” he said.
The deputy director said that the disease was discovered in the state by one Dr Philip Bobu-Igiwe, a student on internship from Center For Disease Control Georgia, America under the under the umbrella of Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFETLP), with centers in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria; University of Ibadan and Nsukka and such center where medical and veterinary doctors carried out research on how to cure animals diseases that affects people.
According to him, “It was after the test was conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health, with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on the blood samples of 224 butchers from three abattoirs.
“The institute then donated 8, 000 dosages of drugs to the patients found infected with the disease and the drugs were distributed free of charge to the affected butchers,” the director said.
He pointed out that sensitization and enlightenment campaign would be carried out in collaboration with traditional leaders to enlighten the people on the danger of the disease.
The Chairman, Bauchi Butchers Associated of Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Uba, commended the government over the gesture especially as such disease was unknown in Bauchi State.
He also thanked the centre for assisting the patients and urged the patients to observe rules guiding the administration of the drugs.
