Bushmeat: Nigeria Bans Sale And Consumption Due To Monkeypox
On Tuesday, the 31st of May, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, urged for the hunters and dealers of bushmeat in Nigeria to stop the business.
Bushmeat is known to be a delicacy in Nigeria and most parts of Africa. Bushmeat generally refers to any wild animal that has been killed for consumption, including antelopes, chimpanzees, fruit bats, rats, porcupines and snakes.
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Dr. Abubakar also urged for Nigerians to avoid getting into physical contact with persons who are suspected to be infected with monkeypox, saying, “Hunters and dealers of ‘bush meat’ must desist from the practice forthwith to prevent any possibility of a ‘spill over’ of the pathogen in Nigeria.”
Dr. Abubakar also mentioned that the ministry was collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as well as other stakeholders in the One Health Team so as to ensure that the situation is contained and brought under control.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had reported earlier this week that 21 monkeypox cases were confirmed since the beginning of 2022, with only one death.
