Professor of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Pwaveno Huladeino Bamaiyi,
Professor of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Pwaveno Huladeino Bamaiyi, has called for a coordinated national programme to tackle brucellosis in Nigeria, warning that the disease continues to spread quietly among both humans and animals.
He made this appeal while delivering the University of Jos’ 119th inaugural lecture, titled “ From East to West, North to South: Confronting the Reluctant Killer Through One Health, Science and Faith.”
Bamaiyi described brucellosis as a “reluctant killer”—a disease that may not often be fatal but can cause long-lasting illness and significant economic damage. According to him, the lack of organised vaccination and surveillance efforts has allowed it to persist largely unchecked.
“We need a national brucellosis eradication scheme. Currently, we are not vaccinating small ruminants. We are doing very little. These organisms don’t care whether you are animal or human.
“They infect, and that is why One Health is important. If we had been thinking about zoonotic diseases earlier, we would not have lost colleagues. Brucellosis can be treated with antibiotics, but we don’t look for it, and because we don’t look for it, it continues to spread quietly among animals and humans.” He said.
He pointed out that farmers, veterinarians, butchers and laboratory workers face the highest risk of exposure. Poor livestock management practices and the consumption of contaminated animal products, he added, further increase the chances of transmission.
Bamaiyi also noted that many cases are wrongly diagnosed as malaria or typhoid, which delays proper treatment and often leads to prolonged illness.
“Those at risk include butchers, lab workers, veterinarians and animal lovers. That is why you must ensure animals are healthy. Don’t keep animals if you will not take good care of them. Don’t allow them to roam everywhere and become stray. Some people release goats that destroy neighbours’ crops. Don’t keep animals if you will not have time for them. If you want to eat them, take good care of them first. Then they will be healthy.” He added.
Beyond prevention, he advocated integrating veterinary public health into primary healthcare systems to improve early detection of zoonotic diseases and limit their spread between animals and humans.
He also called for increased government investment in molecular research, revealing that his team is currently working on identifying DNA-based vaccine candidates for brucellosis.
According to him, adopting a One Health approach would encourage closer collaboration between human and animal health professionals, strengthen disease monitoring, and reduce losses in the livestock sector. He added that improved vaccination efforts and safer handling of animal products would go a long way in curbing the disease nationwide.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Pic Charles Onwochei—described the inaugural lecture series as a vital academic tradition that must be preserved.
He stressed that the platform remains important for intellectual exchange and should be kept free from political or religious influence, noting that universities have a responsibility to safeguard their academic integrity. He also reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to inclusivity, highlighting provisions made for individuals with hearing challenges, and encouraged attendees to engage fully with the lecture and its insights.
