Sodiq Ojuroungbe Nigerians have been advised by physicians not to allow the economic hardship to drive them into consuming the meat of sick animals, warning that they may contain infectious diseases that may jeopardize their health. They also said meat from sick animals should be avoided irrespective of how cheap they may be. The experts further warned that meat from sick animals like ram, and cow could lead to disease spread including the transmission of zoonotic diseases such as beef tapeworm infections, bovine tuberculosis, and anthrax disease.
As Muslims across the world celebrate Id-el-Kabir today, some cattle sellers hinted to PUNCH Healthwise that some Nigerians are opting for sick animals due to the high cost of the sacrificial animal. PUNCH had reported that buyers expressed deep worries over the scary prices of the different sizes of the rams put up for sale at the various markets. Many of the highly disappointed ram market patrons lament that the exorbitant cost of these rams may deny them the opportunity to perform the Islamic spiritual obligation and also celebrate the festival with the ram.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent at Kara market in the Berger area of Ogun State, the cattle sellers claimed that people who could not afford the exorbitant cost of the sacrificial animal are looking for alternatives, which include buying sick cattle at a cheaper price. Public health experts, however, warned against such an act, urging consumers to be mindful of th.
