The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to upgrade all the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals across the country and the completion of the National Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Abuja.

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, made this known while speaking at the 55TH Annual Congress of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association in Sokoto State.

A statement issued by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, said the Federal Government would continue to provide enabling environment for effective veterinary practice in line with global best practices.

Osinbajo was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mr Abdulaziz Abdullahi.

He, therefore, commended the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), for its significant contributions to national development, as well as its support and advancement in livestock development and production.

“We applaud the efforts of veterinarians in the control and prevention of dreadful animal diseases of economic and public health significance such as avian influenza, African swine fever, Lassa Fever, among others.”

On the veterinarian contributions to the Nigerian economy, the Vice President said some veterinarians had transformed into successful entrepreneurs and had created jobs for thousands of Nigerians.

He added that many veterinarians had established small and medium scale veterinary related businesses such as pharmaceutical companies, livestock and poultry farms, diagnostic laboratories, feed mills, clinics, meat and milk processing plants.

“These successes by your members serve as impetus to government and we will continue to engage young veterinary graduates in entrepreneurial and skills development programmes,” he said.