The Federal Government has inaugurated a Model Veterinary Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, to improve animal healthcare delivery, reduce livestock diseases and boost productivity in the livestock sector.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Maiha, inaugurated the facility on Thursday, describing it as a major intervention aimed at bridging the gap in quality veterinary services and strengthening livestock production across the country.

The hospital was constructed and equipped by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), a World Bank-assisted programme.

Maiha said the facility was designed to stimulate productivity in the livestock sector and provide livestock farmers with access to modern animal healthcare services.

He urged veterinary professionals at the hospital to prioritise client satisfaction, ensure proper diagnosis and treatment, and make essential drugs available to livestock owners.

The minister also called for regular training and retraining of personnel, as well as proper maintenance of the facility to ensure its sustainability.

He commended Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for supporting the successful implementation of the L-PRES project in the state.Earlier, the L-PRES National Coordinator, Dr Sanusi Abubakar, disclosed that the Ado-Ekiti facility was among 21 model veterinary hospitals constructed and equipped across 21 states.

Abubakar said the hospital would provide diagnostic, treatment and preventive healthcare services for different categories of livestock, including cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs.

He added that the facility would improve access to professional veterinary care, particularly for smallholder farmers, while reducing livestock mortality, economic losses and disease outbreaks.

Representing Governor Oyebanji, the Chief of Staff, Niyi Adebayo, said the hospital formed part of the state government’s investment in animal health, food security and the development of a commercially viable livestock industry.

He disclosed that the state was also developing a poultry hub at the Livestock Development Centre in Erifun and expanding poultry production through proposed clusters in Emure, Ikole and Igede-Ekiti.

Adebayo further revealed that the government was constructing a semi-automated poultry processing plant capable of processing 1,500 birds daily to reduce transportation costs, create employment and improve the quality of poultry products.

The Ekiti State L-PRES Coordinator, Yinka Adedipe, said the project would strengthen livestock production, improve farmers’ capacity and create investment opportunities in the sector.

The National Vice-President of the Sheep and Goat Development Association, Alhaji Bello Elias, and the Chairman of the Pig Farmers Association in Ekiti State, Pastor Albert Aribisin, commended the federal and state governments for the initiative.

The minister also inspected other livestock development facilities across the state, including the Ikun Dairy Farm, Ikun-Ekiti; the dual-function abattoir and commercial cattle market in Ado-Ekiti; the Livestock Development Centre in Erifun; and the Poultry Hub in Emure-Ekiti.