FAO builds strong partnership for sustainable animal health services in Eastern Africa
The Eastern Africa Regional Animal Health Network held its annual meeting
21 December 2021– The Eastern Africa Regional Animal Health Network (EA-RAHN) concluded its 11th annual meeting, making bold decisions to buttress sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, as well as foster antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance across the Eastern Africa subregion. The Network also expressed its commitment to facilitate the diagnosis and reporting of trade sensitive animal diseases.
The meeting was held under the theme, “Improving the animal health sector through effective partnerships for sustainable animal health service delivery.” Multiple agencies, including the Inter-governmental Authority on Development - Center for Pastoralist Areas and Livestock Development (ICAPALD), the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), had supported the organisation of the meeting.
Directors of Veterinary Services and Heads of veterinary diagnostic laboratories, surveillance systems, and epidemiology units from IGAD Member States attended the meeting. High-level representatives from AU-IBAR OIE, EAC and IGAD were also in attendance. Additionally, personnel from academia, research institutions and the private sector, including Camel Middle East Network (CAMENET) and the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed) participated.
Addressing members of the Network and participants, Ameha Sebsibe, representing Solomon Munyua, Director of ICPALD, remarked that IGAD, in collaboration with Member States and partner organisations, would give the highest regard to the outcomes and decisions of the meeting towards enhancing the delivery of animal health services in the IGAD region. Samuel Wakhusama, OIE Subregional Representative for Eastern Africa, on his part, highlighted that OIE would continue to update key partners, including members of the Network, on the ongoing control efforts against the transboundary animal diseases (TADs). Representing AU-IBAR, James Wabacha, on behalf of Nick Nwankpa, Acting Director of AU-IBAR and President of the Regional Steering Committee of the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) for Africa, stressed the fact that EA-RAHN has achieved notable milestones in improving the coordination and harmonisation of activities related to animal health. Ricarda Mondry, representing the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa (SFE), stated that given its dire situation, the Eastern Africa subregion required bold actions to transform from crisis management to risk management. FAO committed to contribute to this effort, through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD).
EA-RAHN: an effective platform for addressing regional animal health issues
The meeting was an excellent opportunity to exchange views on the animal health challenges that have arisen in recent years as a result of recurrent multiple crises. During the meeting, members of the Network were updated on efforts to control TADs and reduce the burden of AMR. In particular, the meeting was updated on the Regional Strategy of GF-TADs for Africa (2021-2025) – the implementation of which is being supported by FAO, AU-IBAR, IGAD and OIE. Finally, the meeting had maderecommendations that included the following:
- Establish an Eastern Africa sub-network on camel diseases to speed up diagnosis of camel diseases;
- Facilitate the nomination of national AMR surveillance focal points and validation of the AMR surveillance network;
- Ensure a prompt submission of samples to the reference laboratories to facilitate confirmation of diagnosis of trade sensitive diseases;
- Support the public / private sectors partnership to enhance enforcement and compliance to SPS measures; and
- Fast-track the operationalisation of the EA-RAHN, by having a full-time office that support resource mobilisation, run the network’s day-to-day work, and coordinate tasks related to information management and sharing.
FAO Virtual Learning Center in Eastern Africa launched during the EA-RAHN
The 11th EA-RAHN meeting had been the perfect setting to launch the FAO Virtual Learning Center (VLC) in Eastern Africa. The Center is established to delivery capacity-development programmes on “One Health” across the subregion. It is a joint effort of FAO Animal Production and Health Division and the Joint Centre for Zoonoses and AMR, with the support of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease. VLC courses are designed to take account of regional needs of member countries and regions to reach out to diverse audiences at low cost. During this meeting, participants were given useful insights on the value of the VLC in Eastern Africa.