The training focuses on the updated Surveillance Evaluation Tool (SET) version 2.0, designed to enhance early detection and control of animal diseases. This upgraded tool streamlines evaluation processes and integrates seamlessly with existing assessment methods.
The importance of robust animal health surveillance was emphasized by Mr. Assoumany Gouromenan, Chief of Staff for Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources. He highlighted the livestock sector’s role in food security, poverty reduction, and job creation, underlining the threat posed by frequent animal disease outbreaks.
Mr. Gouromenan pointed to recent outbreaks of swine fever, viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits, foot-and-mouth disease, and avian influenza as prime examples. He stressed the devastating economic and health impact of avian influenza, causing billions in losses per outbreak in Côte d’Ivoire alone.
The FAO’s Global Health Security Programme aims to strengthen regional surveillance and prevention strategies through this training. Participants will learn application of SET 2.0, explore new operational tools like JOIN and RISK-SPORT, and gain insights into their potential benefits for the region.
The training brings together regional epidemiologists, FAO experts from Rome and West Africa’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Control (ECTAD), and staff from ECTAD-represented FAO offices. Dr. Abebe Wolde, ECTAD’s Regional Coordinator, emphasized the training’s focus on using SET 2.0 for follow-up assessments and comparing results with previous assessments using SET 1.0.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides key funding for FAO’s ECTAD activities. The success of SET 2.0’s initial trials in Niger and Jordan paves the way for its wider implementation across West and Central Africa.
AP/fss/abj/APA