Many varsities’ laboratories, animal research facilities in deplorable state – VCN Registrar

 
 
The Acting Registrar/CE of Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN), Dr Josiah Kantyok, has lamented the deplorable state of laboratory animal welfare and animal research facilities in majority of the universities in Nigeria.
 
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the national workshop on Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) /Animal Ethics Committee (AEC), Dr Kantyok said very few institutions have AEC that coordinate and give approvals to use animal in research.
 
 
He said the VCN before now had identified the need for Nigeria to ensure global best practices in animal experimentation.
 
 
“The veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) in line with the provisions of the OIE terrestrial animal health code on animal welfare, has before now identified the need for Nigeria to ensure global best practices in animal experimentation.
 
 
“This is to involve development of policy and regulatory framework that will help to coordinate and moderate animal research facility, use of animals and researchers”, he said.
 
 
He, said “adequate of instruction of students cannot be successfully carried out without the use of animals in programs like agriculture, biological science, and human veterinary medicine, thus the need for constant training in laboratory animal welfare/use.