The roles of veterinary quarantine services in monitoring the movements of animals and disease prevention in Nigeria

Abstract

A study of the National Veterinary Quarantine Services (NVQS) revealed the existence of 44 functional International Veterinary Control Posts (INVCP) in Nigeria's 4,857km border length, 111 Inter-State Veterinary Control Posts (ISVCP) and 905 State Veterinary Check points (SVCP). A total of 3,065,599 animals were imported through the recognised INVCP between 1986 and 1997, while 10,781 other animals and 586, tonnes of hides and skins were exported. The illegal entry points were estimated at 3,445 or one per each 1.13km border. The levels of functional efficiency of the quarantine services were rated high for revenue collection, medium for animal movement monitoring and low for disease monitoring. Whereas the control posts have served as early warning mechanism against the spread of some disease epizootics, the introduction and re-introduction of many hitherto exotic diseases have been traced to the animals that entered the country through the porous borders. Consequently, the establishment of more INVCP and ISVCP, to be located in areas of high livestock traffic, the provision of clinical and diagnostic facilities in major INVCP and ISVCP and employment of more Veterinary personnel for the NVQS were recommended. KEY WORDS: Disease prevention, Quarantine, Animal movements, Control posts, Disease monitoring (Nig Vet J:2002 23(1): 1-15)