Crisis Management Centre - Animal Health: Activity Report, October 2006 to September 2008

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) made headlines worldwide in late 2003 and early 2004. The outbreaks killed countless birds, caused untold damage to poultry-based livelihoods and placed the health of human populations at risk. Additional outbreaks followed, and the disease spread across continents. Other transboundary animal diseases (TADs) have long threatened both animals and people. However, HPAI represented the first ever “advance warning of a pandemic”. The world was eager to respond.

In reaction to the HPAI crisis and evolving TAD emergencies worldwide, FAO – in close association with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) – established the Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health (CMC-AH) in October 2006. The Centre was created to enhance “FAO’s ability to help member nations prevent and cope with disease outbreaks”.

As a facility for animal disease emergency response, the CMC-AH helped 19 governments respond to TAD emergencies through 27 missions deployed from October 2006 through September 2008. CMC‑AH efforts over this timeframe have supported governments dealing with not only HPAI but also other TADs, including African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and Rift Valley fever (RVF).