The Head of Public Health, of the Veterinary Services Dr. Bashiru Boi Kikimoto, has expressed concern about the lack of funds to procure bovine tuberculosis antigens, used for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in cattle.
“Since 2014, no massive screening has been conducted to help reduce the transmission of TB from animal to human in the country,” he said. Dr. Kikimoto disclosed this to The Ghanaian Times last Friday in Accra, stressing that if animals carrying bovine tuberculosis were not screened by veterinary officers, it could be passed on to the consumer.
According to him bovine tuberculosis was a disease that threatens public health hence the need to ensure that animals killed in slaughter houses were screened before they were sent to the market. He explained that the disease could be transferred to animals who consume unpasteurized dairy products such as milk and meat, and affects warm blooded mammals including human beings who come in contact with the bacteria.
Dr. Kikimoto said that most meat slaughtering activities were done at night which did not allow thorough inspection by veterinary meat inspectors.
He complained of the poor lightening system at slaughter houses which were not bright enough to identify the disease, adding that, the bacteria could be killed by sunlight.
Bovine TB, he said was difficult to diagnose with clinical signs especially in the early stages but later stage symptoms may include weakness, fever and pneumonia.
This, he said, had compelled the service to look for funding from government, Food and Agricultural Organization, World Health Organization to train meat inspectors in all the 332 slaughter facilities in the country.
He appealed to donor partners to assist the Service to carry out active surveillance of Bovine Tuberculosis nationwide.
Dr. Kikimoto advised the public to isolate the animals who have shown signs of animal TB immediately and then call veterinarians for a diagnosis.
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