EAC avian flu strategy meeting ends in Zanzibar
ARUSHA, Tanzania, September 29, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Steering Committee Meeting of the EAC Regional Avian Influenza Response Project concluded in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania, 22 September 2010. The meeting was convened in accordance with the project plan and a decision of the Council of Ministers to jointly cooperate in the control of transboundary diseases in the EAC Region. The control of transboundary vectors and diseases is also in line with the EAC development Strategy 2006-10.
The meeting, chaired by Dr. Win Cuthbert Mleche, Director of Veterinary Services United Republic of Tanzania, was attended by the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sector), Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, EAC Productive and Social Sectors Director, Dr. Caleb Weggoro, EAC Senior Livestock Officer, Mr. Timothy Wesonga, Directors of Veterinary Services and technical experts from the Ministries responsible for livestock, wildlife, human health and EAC Affairs from the Partner States, representatives from the European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organization’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD Eastern Africa), African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the East African Farmers Federation (EAFF).
At the meeting, the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sector), Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva reiterated that livestock contributes to the support of human kind by providing meat, milk products, eggs, fiber, manure for soil improvement and draught power, adding that “It is estimated that animals supply directly and indirectly 30-40% of the total value of food and agriculture production”.
Mr. Nsengiyumva said the overall goal of animal production at regional level is to produce enough quality animals and animal produce to match the requirements for the rapidly increasing population as well as create surplus for export.
The EAC official affirmed that Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs), most of which are of zoonotic origin, have been the focus of recent public attention at the national and international level. This has been due, in part, to the potential of these diseases capacity to cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans and animals, their implications for international trade, travel and economic consequences, and their threat to national security. Global interconnectivity has only increased the opportunities for disease emergence and rapid disease transmission.
The occurrences of EIDs like Ebola, Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever (MHF) and Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in the EAC have heightened the need for proper preparedness and response mechanisms. However, no EAC Partner State had reported a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or human cases, noted the EAC Deputy Secretary General.
The meeting recommended initiatives to better address transboundary vectors and diseases in the region to be presented to the EAC Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security which included: the conclusion of the Letter of Agreement on the development of the EAC Regional Livestock Policy between the EAC and FAO; the EAC Secretariat to mobilise resources for the project on control of priority Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) in the region as well as recruit an Animal Health Expert. The meeting also recommended that the Secretariat establishes a Department for Animal Health and charged the Secretariate with mainstreaming the East African Regional Epidemiology and Laboratory networks into the EAC structures as well as including Goat Pox and Brucellosis into the EAC TADs regional priority list.
It was also recommended Partner States are tasked with establishing National Funds for Animal Health emergencies as well as agreeing on the modalities and implementation of harmonized Animal Health information systems within the region. In addition the appointment of National Project Coordinators for the EAC Regional Avian Influenza Response Project should be finalised by the Partner States.
The meeting also recommended that Wildlife veterinarians from Partner States be directly involved in the regional transboundary animal and zoonotic disease management and control.
