FAO trains district veterinary officers to use EMA-i+, a digital tool for real-time disease reporting, in three key livestock regions.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), in collaboration with the Veterinary Service Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Ghana and FHI360 Epidemic Control (EpiC), is empowering veterinary officers to improve real-time disease surveillance and reporting using FAO EMA-i+, an upgraded version of the Event Mobile Application (EMA-i). The training workshop, from 2 to 4 December 2024 in Tamale, targets veterinary officers from the Upper East, Northern, and North East regions. The tree regions have large populations of cattle, small ruminants, and village poultry, serving as food and nutrition security  and rural employment

The workshop marks a key milestone in scaling up EMA-i+ for district-level use in Ghana, allowing for accurate and timely data collection on animal disease outbreaks. With support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the training involves 90 field-based users and reinforces Ghana's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health emergencies.

Strengthening Ghana's capacity for disease management

"This training is a significant step in modernizing Ghana's animal disease reporting system," said Garba Ahmed, FAO ECTAD Country Team Leader in Ghana. "With EMA-i+, veterinary officers can provide real-time data, enabling faster responses to disease outbreaks and safeguarding animal and human health."

The initiative aligns with Ghana’s strategic goals to improve disease surveillance and reporting systems and contributes to global health security efforts. Participants in the training of district veterinary officers, ensuring a collaborative approach to strengthening the animal health system.

“This partnership with FAO is crucial for enhancing disease management in Ghana”, said Dr. Danso Fenteng, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Veterinary Service Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture. “The use of EMA-i+ will improve our ability to track, report, and respond to animal diseases, protecting livelihoods and public health.”

FAO’s commitment to a resilient animal health system

The workshop builds on FAO’s long-standing commitment to supporting Ghana in managing transboundary animal diseases. Since 2019, FAO has piloted and scaled the EMA-i application, adapting it to Ghana’s national needs and strengthening veterinary services through capacity-building initiatives.

FAO continues collaborating with partners to promote One Health approaches, integrating human, animal, and environmental health strategies for sustainable development. The rollout of EMA-i+ represents a key advancement in Ghana’s disease surveillance efforts and highlights the importance of leveraging technology for resilience.