15 October 2007, Rome - Spearheading efforts to building adequate response capacity and preparedness in the fight to control highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at source in animals, FAO's Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health (CMC/AH) organised a week-long training workshop from 7 to 12 October for 21 animal health experts from around the world.

The workshop was the first in a series funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and brought together some of the experts currently on the roster of specialists who may be called upon to provide FAO's initial and rapid response to HPAI outbreaks.

Participants took part in sessions and exercises on surveillance, investigation and control activities for HPAI outbreaks, including detailed technical training on laboratory diagnosis and sample collection techniques. “The practical [exercises] were very good,” commented participant Sabine Hutter, an epidemiologist with the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Veterinary Services Evaluator for the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). “It was important to see where FAO stands, learn of FAO's current knowledge on HPAI and find out what FAO thinks should be done. Most important was the opportunity to hear the experiences of people who had been on missions before, because that helps us understand the reality [of HPAI rapid response]. We may know the theory, but the practical knowledge of other colleagues is essential.”

The final simulation exercise, in which participants worked through a comprehensive outbreak case study, was a highlight for many. Broken up into small groups, participants simulated the support activities generally carried out by CMC /AH rapid deployment teams, which assist requesting governments in their rapid response activities to new HPAI outbreaks.

“The simulation exercise was extremely realistic, the training was very well constructed and it was good to share [information] with people in that forum,” said David Castellan, Senior Staff Veterinarian at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “The curriculum was concise [...] and well targeted toward key topics [that] reflected my experiences on past missions extremely well. It got us thinking together to help us meet the challenges that are out there [in the field].”

The CMC /AH, FAO's rapid deployment unit for transboundary animal disease response, will train additional specialists from its deployment team roster through a second, USAID-funded HPAI response course currently under development.