FG moves to combat Tsetse flies, associated health risks

By Olayimika Raimi 

The Federal Government has ramped up efforts to curb the spread of tsetse flies and the diseases they transmit, launching a coordinated intervention across the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi State, and Ogun State.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, focuses on grazing reserves, livestock settlements, and other high-risk corridors. It forms part of a broader national strategy aimed at improving livestock productivity while safeguarding public health.

In a statement issued on Monday, the ministry’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Henrietta Okokon, stated that the intervention combines surveillance, vector control, and community sensitization. Field teams have been deployed to install traps, carry out fumigation, and apply insecticides to reduce infestation levels.

Speaking through the statement, Deputy Director and Coordinator of the Federal Epidemiology Unit, Ozoemena Uche, underscored the health risks associated with tsetse flies.

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“Tsetse flies transmit trypanosomiasis, which affects both animals and humans. Our goal is to reduce its impact on livestock productivity and prevent associated public health risks,” he said.

At the Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve in the FCT, the reserve manager, Mohammed Bala, highlighted additional disease challenges facing herders. According to him, livestock owners are also battling infections such as foot-and-mouth disease and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.

“We need sustained veterinary support and access to vaccines to protect our livestock,” Bala said.

In Kogi State, where operations spanned six local government areas, officials stressed the urgency of the intervention in protecting rural livelihoods. Abdulkadiri Adaji, Team Lead of the Tsetse Fly Surveillance and Ground Control Programme, said the continued prevalence of the vector poses a serious threat to livestock production.

“This exercise is critical to generating data and implementing control measures that will reverse this trend,” he noted, adding that zoonotic diseases remain a concern for national health security.

Meanwhile, in Ogun State, the ministry said it adopted a mix of physical and chemical control methods. Team Lead Gilbert Okoro explained that traps are being used to capture the flies, while insecticides target those that escape capture.

He added that the approach aligns with the One Health framework, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health considerations.

The ministry maintained that the intervention is part of an ongoing nationwide effort to combat tsetse-borne diseases, boost livestock output, and protect rural livelihoods.