Abstract:
This
study
evaluated
the
present
state
of veterinary
services
in North-western
Nigeria
comprising
Sokoto,
Kebbi
and
Zamfara
States.
A survey
conducted
in the area
between
1996
and
1997
revealed
that
veterinary
services
were
dominated
by the state
governments
working
through
their
ministries
of agriculture.
Donor-assisted
projects
such
as the Zamfara
Environmental
Protection
Agency
and
the Second
Pilot
Livestock
Development
Project
also
provided
veterinary
services
in the area.
Other
veterinary
services
providers
included
the
Federal
Department
of Livestock
and
Pest
Control
Services,
the National
Veterinary
Research
Institute,
the Faculty
of Veterinary
Medicine'
ofU
smanu
Danfodiyo
University,
the local
governments,
the weekly
market
drug
sellers
and
drug
stores.
Results
show
that
veterinary
services
provided
by most
of these
agencies,
particularly
those
funded
by
governments,
have
become
skeletal
or in some
cases
non-existent.
This
sorry
state
of veterinary
services
was
attributed
to poor
funding.
To improve
funding
and
the
effectiveness
of veterinary
services,
it was
suggested
that
governments
should
consider
introducing
full
cost-recovery
in their
services
and
should
ultimately
aim
at privatizing
some
of the veterinary
functions.
To mitigate
the
current
shortage
of veterinary
personnel
in the area,
it was
also
suggested
that
governments
should
encourage
the training
of more
veterinary
personnel.
