FAO trains District veterinary officers in Uganda on outbreak investigations and reporting
Some forty-five District Surveillance Focal Persons (DSFPs) and other animal health practitioners have been trained to systematically investigate and exchange animal disease information, key actions required by decision makers. The move aims to coordinate surveillance efforts at the national and sub-national level to enhance preparedness and rapid response to outbreaks. This is geared to bridge the gaps on surveillance that has been existing between the districts and the national level.
According to Principal Veterinary Officer in charge of Epidemiology, Disease Surveillance and Investigation in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Dr. Deo Birungi Ndumu, delayed animal disease reporting remains a challenge for the country to facilitate immediate response.
While it is a known fact that 75% of the diseases that affect human beings originate from animals, more often outbreaks happen in remote locations with limited or no capacity to identify and report suspected outbreaks to authorities, a challenge if not addressed promptly, increases chances of zoonotic diseases to spread faster among animals and or jump from animals to humans.
With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under project: “Supporting Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) to address zoonotic diseases and animal health in Africa(OSRO/GLO/507/USA)”, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working in Uganda to support the government to address the problem of emerging and re-emerging high impact, priority zoonotic diseases including anthrax, zoonotic influenza viruses, hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, RVF, CCHF and Marburg), brucellosis, trypanosomosis, plague, and rabies.
Dr Sam Okuthe, the Team Leader for FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) in Uganda emphasized the need to strengthen early warning, readiness and response to disease threats, strengthening epidemio-surveillance and surveillance policy frameworks among others.
“Livestock is critical to food security. To achieve our zero-Hunger targets, we need to address such diseases because of their significant economic impacts on both livestock and human populations and their impact on livelihoods and food security,” said Sam during the opening of the training where he represented the FAO Country Representative Mr Antonio Querido.
On his part, Dr Deo Ndumu, who also doubles as the Chairperson Uganda National Animal Health Network encouraged the trainees, most of whom are surveillance focal persons at district local government level to take the training seriously as they are being prepared and equipped with skills to enable them report disease occurrences and threat appropriately.
“Your role will be critical for early detection of diseases as well as prompt response because preparedness remains the cheapest and most effective strategy to address disease,” he noted, adding that for every $2 spent on preparedness, saves $5 in response.
The training included different stakeholders involved in animal disease epidemio-surveillance including selected District Veterinary Officers, District Surveillance Focal Persons, National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), Regional Veterinary Laboratories, College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB), research institutes and private sector players.