1 week ago
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The federal government has launched a newly constructed 40 million doses capacity solar-powered strategic vaccine storage facility in Sheda, located along the Abuja-Lokoja Road in the Federal Capital Territory.
The facility, built through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) with support from the World Bank, was commissioned by the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, alongside Professor Attahiru Jega, co-chair of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee.
In his remarks, Professor Jega highlighted the importance of the new storage facility, noting that it represents a significant advancement in the federal government’s commitment to improving the health, productivity, and resilience of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
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He said animal diseases, particularly transboundary and zoonotic diseases, pose serious threats to food and nutrition security, public health, and the country’s overall economic stability.
Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, the Minister of Livestock Development, emphasised that the facility addresses a critical storage gap, offering a state-of-the-art solution for efficient and effective vaccine storage and distribution across the country.
Designed with a cutting-edge solar-powered system, the facility ensures resilience against power supply issues and provides long-term sustainability.
With a capacity of 40 million doses, the facility is equipped to respond swiftly to emerging zoonotic diseases, outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases, and major zoonotic threats.
The minister also mentioned plans to fully commercialise the National Veterinary Institute in Jos, enabling it to supply up to 1.2 billion vaccines annually.
The facility is expected to guarantee the ease of dispatch, quality control, cold chain maintenance, tracking, and provide a repository for emergency risk-based vaccination.
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