My name is Paul Hambesha. I am a Veterinary graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria, 2008. I served as a Youth Corps Doctor at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Shika – Zaria, in the year 2008 – 2009 (This is a mandatory one year national service to the Nigerian government post-graduation). Presently, a Clinician at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) – Nigeria; working as a Resident Veterinary Doctor and Coordinator of the Avian Clinic.

Experiences and Interest in Poultry Medicine

Apart from meeting the minimum requirements for the award of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) by the University, I had intensive internship training at various stages and places like farms & clinics during the course of my studies.

My one year national service as a Youth Corps Doctor was in an Animal Production Research Institute consisting of poultry & livestock sections. In the poultry section, I worked in the breeding, hatchery & feed mill units that provided me with practical knowledge & experience of poultry diseases & production.

After completing the national service, I gained employment with the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, FUAM in March, 2010 to date. My position here have saddled me with tackling animal and zoonotic disease issues in diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, surveillance, prevention, and control, consulting for livestock and poultry farmers on farm establishment and management, participating in awareness campaigns on health related matters, teaching clinical students of the College of Veterinary Medicine, FUAM, preparing clinical reports, supervising subordinate staff and attending seminars, workshops and conferences on veterinary and related matters.

I have also attended training workshops on Participatory Disease Surveillance, September 2010; and on Animal Disease Outbreak Investigation: Trace Back & Trace Forward, March 2011; all organized by Avian Influenza Control Project (AICP).

In June, 2013 I was admitted for College of Veterinary Surgeons Nigeria (CVSN) Professional Postgraduate Training Program, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Center, leading to the award of Membership College of Veterinary Surgeons Nigeria (MCVSN) in Avian Medicine under the Medicine Faculty.

Presently, I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Avian Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and researching on the topic, ‘EVALUATION OF THE IMMUNOGENICITY AND EFFICACY OF EIMERIA TENELLA APICAL MEMBRANE ANTIGEN-1 (EtAMA1) DNA VACCINATION AGAINST EIMERIA TENELLA INFECTED BROILER CHICKENS’ The research work has been completed and I will be presenting a seminar on the work very soon as part of the requirement for award of the degree.