The RADISCON project (IFAD/FAO) has been extended up to June 2001. A proposal for RADISCON Phase II will be presented to donors for funding a second phase of this successful programme. This phase would build on the achievements of the first phase and would serve as a bridge to the future Animal Health Commission for the Near East.
This was the last workshop in the series of workshops organized to strengthen/establish NADSSs in participating countries. Twenty-five veterinarians participated in the workshop, with a representative from each of the 18 Governorates (Mouhafadhats) that constitute the country, four from the Central Veterinary Laboratory and three from the Central Veterinary Services (see group photograph).
The main outcome of the workshop is to establish soon an Epidemiology Unit to coordinate the NADSS work. It will be responsible for data gathering, verification and analysis. The national desire is to develop it into an Epidemiology Service.
The RADISCON Reporting Form, with slight amendments, was adopted to serve as a basis for disease reporting in Iraq and will be used shortly countrywide. As part of the strengthening of the surveillance system in Iraq, six computers and printers were purchased, destined for the Epidemiology Unit and for some Governorates.
The TADinfo database was customized for Iraq and the RADISCON National Liaison Officers (NLO) were trained in its use in Rome in November 2000. TADinfo-Iraq is now being implemented.
Workshop participants
An advanced course on TADinfo took place in Rome from 13 to 17 November 2000. The operators of national databases in Algeria, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco and Tunisia took part in the training (see group photograph).
TADinfo is now implemented in all the Maghreb countries. While the disease observation module is used in all countries, only Algeria and Tunisia are using the disease surveys module, in support respectively of brucellosis active surveillance and bluetongue surveillance. Older versions of TADinfo in use in these countries were updated, with the final version having all the modules completed (vaccination and livestock census). All the countries have adopted the RADISCON Disease Outbreak Report model to use in their own national animal disease surveillance and monitoring systems. The system has started functioning in these countries and reports are being received from the field. The operators of the database suggested three major ideas in developing TADinfo that would help them in their work. These are as follows:
Participants analysed data using TADinfo modules and a variety of tools (such as Excel and a macro for economic analysis). Participants made information searches using the Internet on the livestock sector and disease situations in some countries that may be useful for decision-makers.
While the Java version of TADinfo will solve the problem of multiuser access to the database when it is available, it was agreed that in the future TADinfo would incorporate the livestock owner's name to allow the processing and analysis of outbreak follow-up reports.
Advanced course on TADinfo and database management, Rome, 13-17 November 2000
A mission took place in Nouakchott, Mauritania, from 3 to 7 September 2000. Three future operators of the National Database TADinfo-Mauritania (French version) were trained in its use. Numerous efforts have been made since the start of the Mauritanian Animal Disease Surveillance and Monitoring Network (REMEMA) in 1996 to build up the Network. Priority diseases are mainly rinderpest, FMD, peste des petits ruminants (PPR), CBPP and RVF.
The workshop was organized as part of the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP/ALG/8922) and was attended by headquarters staff from the National Veterinary Services, the National Institute for Veterinary Medicine and senior veterinarians from 45 of the 48 Wilayates (Provinces) of Algeria. The programme of the workshop was designed to provide participants with the necessary background information on the disease and its control, including the Algerian experience, and on the principles and practice of emergency preparedness and contingency planning, leading progressively to the formulation of recommendations for the strengthening of the Algerian FMD Contingency Plan.