Ethiopia: FAO supports capacity building of veterinary epidemiologists to improve animal health services
The first cohort of Frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) trainers and mentors passed
Bishoftu– The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, completed the first training of trainers and mentors of the Frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) in Ethiopia. The 19 trainers and 20 mentors will cascade the Frontline ISAVET programme among field veterinary epidemiologists to fill human resource gaps in delivering animal health services in the country.
FAO launched the ISAVET for Ethiopia in 2018. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development through the Global Health Security Program, the Programme aims to enhance the capacities of Ministries responsible for animal health through the training of veterinary epidemiologists in the field. It uses applied, hands-on, in-service training to build a cadre of skilled frontline veterinarians who can conduct effective surveillance and outbreak response under a One Health approach.
While opening the two-week training workshop in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, on 13 February 2022, Dr. Yismashewa Wogayehu, the Director of Epidemiology, who represented Dr. Fikru Regassa, Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, appreciated the training. "It contributes to enhancing the national capacity to sustain quality assurance of the training and lay the foundation for the institutionalization of the ISAVETT program in the country, he said."
The training covered: field preparedness; early detection; response to health risks; risk communication; and rapid and effective interventions in the event of transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases. It also covered emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance in an integrated One Health approach.
Kidist Jifar, a trainee, appreciated the training, saying the content was appropriate and relevant to her work, particularly in data quality audit and weekly surveillance reporting. "We need to train more people to build a strong workforce that will meet the human resource needs in the country," he added.
Filling human resource gaps to deliver quality animal health services in Ethiopia
A capacity needs assessment conducted by FAO in June 2019 found that 80 percent of the frontline animal health workforce in Ethiopia had epidemiology skill gaps ranging from moderate to high scores. FAO supports the Ministry of Agriculture in strengthening national epidemiological capacities focusing on the frontline animal health staff to reduce the gap.
Sustaining ongoing efforts
The Ministry of Agriculture has set up organizational structures to implement the ISAVET, including the national steering committee and national technical advisory group to manage the program. Moreover, the national ISAVET implementation plan was developed and endorsed by the ISAVET steering committee for joint implementation with FAO Ethiopia.
The trained trainers and mentors will conduct the country's second and subsequent cohorts of the ISAVET program in the country. Twenty-six animal health staff completed the first ISAVET in Ethiopia.
Gijs VantKlooster, Country Team Leader, FAO's Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases - Ethiopia, said, "The training has created a vital workforce that will help the country improve the planning, preparedness, and response to health threats."
For more information, please contact:
Rachel Nandelenga
National Communication Officer
FAO Ethiopia
Email: [email protected]
Yanira Santana
Regional Communications and Outreach
Bureau FAO ECTAD Regional West and Central Africa
Email: [email protected]