Zim hosts SADC program

06 Nov, 2018 - 11:11 0 Views
Zim hosts SADC program FAO Sub-regional Co-ordinator for Southern Africa, Dr Patrick Kormawa

eBusiness Weekly

 

Elita Chikwati

HARARE – Zimbabwe is hosting a SADC 10-day training of veterinarians and animal health technicians aimed at equipping the experts with appropriate animal disease surveillance skills, prevention of emerging diseases, control of endemic diseases and enhancing livestock productivity and production in the region.

The workshop which is being attended by animal health experts from the SADC region is running under the theme “Strengthening surveillance capacity of animal diseases in Southern Africa”.

The training programme which started yesterday and will end on November 16 was organised in response to the increase in outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases and zoonosis  in Southern Africa.

Experts also realised that early warning of potential disease outbreaks and the ability to forecast the spread of pathogens to new areas was a pre-requisite for effective containment of epidemic diseases, including zoonoses, such as anthrax, rabies, highly pathogenic avian influenza and rift valley fever and transboundary animal diseases threats such as, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, African Swine fever and newcastle disease among others.

Officially opening the training workshop, FAO Sub-regional Co-ordinator for Southern Africa, Dr Patrick Kormawa said the livestock provided animal protein that ensured food and nutrition security of millions in the region.

“Livestock production is also an important source of income and a safety net for hundreds of thousands of people, particularly rural women and youths, and is a significant contributor to agricultural Gross Domestic Product. As a continent, Africa is endowed with vast livestock resources. 

“In recent decades, the world food economy has seen a shift towards increased consumption of animal-source foods; and against the backdrop of increasing world population, urbanisation and globalisation – this provides significant opportunities for African countries. However, apart from a handful of countries in Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa), which enjoy access to the lucrative export markets for meat, most countries have not been able to unlock the full potential of their livestock resources,” he said.

Dr Kormawa said SADC countries were faced with challenges that included weak and under resourced veterinary services; lack of developed livestock value chains and related infrastructure; lack of appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks; and lack of technical expertise and capacities for effective animal disease control. 

“Emerging and re-emerging animal diseases, if not adequately controlled, can have deleterious consequences on animal health and food security. As the lead inter-governmental organisation with the global mandate to end world hunger and ensure food security for all, (FAO) together with its financial partners such as USAID is actively engaged in providing technical assistance to countries to address these and related challenges.

“As many diseases of public health concern are zoonoses and they are often best detected and controlled at the source in animals. FAO and its partners place emphasis on building the capacity of veterinary and public health services by promoting the use of participatory methodologies such as participatory epidemiology in disease surveillance for early warning and rapid response,” he said.

Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Climate, Department of Veterinary Services, epidemiologist, Dr Felistas Ndlovu said the participatory epidemiology tool was a fast and effective way of getting data and ensured quick response to diseases.

“We learn from local knowledge and can be advised from local knowledge. Participatory epidemiology creates a platform for us to work with the community,” she said.

Participatory epidemiology employs tools that enhance active involvement of livestock keepers and the community in the analysis of animal disease constraints, in the design, implementation and evaluation of disease control programmes and policies.

The method is quick, cost effective and sensitive for detection of potential disease outbreaks and useful in early warning of animal disease occurrence and spread to new areas.

Participatory epidemiology is important in that, it allows animal and public health authorities to warn at-risk populations of the control and prevention measures that should be taken in order to prevent losses resulting from disease morbidity and mortalities.

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