Kogi NVMA Seeks More Veterinary Doctors to Strengthen Rabies Response

The Kogi chapter of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has urged the state government to employ at least two veterinary doctors in each of its Local Government Areas (LGAs), saying the move would strengthen rabies surveillance and One Health response in the state.

The association's state Chairman, Dr Tolu Omotugba, made the call on Monday in Lokoja at a news conference marking the 2026 World Rabies Day, observed annually on Sept. 28 to raise awareness on rabies prevention and highlight progress toward defeating the disease.

Omotugba said Kogi—with its 21 LGAs, large population of dogs used for hunting and security, and porous borders—cannot afford to be complacent about rabies. He noted that rabies is 99.9 per cent fatal once symptoms appear, but 100 per cent preventable.

He said that while veterinary officers in the state civil service were doing their best, their numbers were grossly inadequate. "We have about 28 to 30 veterinary officers currently in the Kogi civil service, which is not enough. Some LGAs do not even have the presence of a veterinary officer. Most states in the federation have more than 50 to 100, some about 200. We are suggesting a minimum of two per LGA so that they can, at least, do disease reporting, especially for diseases of public health concern. If the state can do well, they can have as much as five per LGA," he said.

He expressed concern over the high number of unreported rabies cases in Kogi and across the country, recalling that in 2025, Bassa LGA in Plateau State lost 12 lives to rabies, including a family of three. "A single dog bite, a single scratch, can end a family," he said.

Omotugba said the 2026 theme, "Stronger Together," underscores the need for collaboration among the Ministries of Health, Environment, Education and Livestock, as well as veterinary and medical doctors, environmental health officers and community leaders.

He commended the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development led by Minister Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for its vaccination targets, which he said include 70 per cent annual dog vaccination and zero human deaths from rabies by 2030. He noted that 26,000 doses were deployed to eight high-risk states in 2025, while the Federal Capital Territory recently flagged off the vaccination of 20,000 dogs.

The chairman decried Kogi's continued reliance on outdated laws, citing the Rabies Act of 1935 and the Dogs Law, Cap 36 of Northern Nigeria, which he said provide for seizure and licensing but lack modern population management and enforcement. He said fewer than five per cent of dogs in Lokoja, Okene, Anyigba and Ankpa are licensed. "We cannot eliminate a 21st-century disease with 20th-century laws," he said.

He urged the state government to domesticate the Kogi State Rabies Control and Responsible Dog Ownership Bill 2026 to make annual vaccination compulsory. He also called for a dog registry, penalties for stray dogs, and the replacement of shooting on sight with humane management.

Omotugba further called for a dedicated budget line for rabies under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project to fund free mass vaccination, and recommended sensitisation and post-exposure prophylaxis in state hospitals, along with the creation of a Kogi One Health Rabies Task Force.

"Let Kogi lead as the first state in North-Central to be rabies-free," he said.