FAO Graduates 30 Trainees on Transboundary Diseases Control and Surveillance

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has held a graduation ceremony for the In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET) “Cohort 4” to help in the surveillance and control of transboundary Diseases and Pest in Nigeria.

The training is facilitated by the FAO Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and brings together frontline veterinary epidemiologists across the country to strengthen their capacities in field level preparedness, early detection and rapid effective response to transboundary animal diseases, emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance within an integrative one Health approach.

The Representative of the FAO at the ceremony Dr. Otto Muhinda said the ECTAD is focusing on 3 major areas which include Control of Zoonotic diseases, Laboratory strengthening and development and Workforce development.
Speaking on ISAVET he said the training is complemented by the training of paravets to follow up on animal health cases and report them.

He said the training supports an establishment of local professionals capable of work in a network of diseases control and reporting.

One of the training facilitators Professor L.H Lombin said the Thirty (30) ISAVET Trainees have completed the one-month didactic classroom learning and three months of field activities including submission of 12 weekly surveillance reports, two data quality audits, one disease outbreak investigation and field project reports.

She said “we are building a critical mass of frontline Veterinarians that is changing the narratives of disease surveillance and reporting in Nigeria”.

She charged the trainees to utilize the knowledge acquired and make an impact.
“On this note, I would like to specially congratulate this special group of Frontline Veterinarians for being a part of this milestone in the history of the Veterinary Profession. I will implore you all to use this opportunity to make a difference, let this exposure herald the beginning of a new paradigm shift in disease surveillance and reporting in your places of work”.

“Go out and shine like the Stars you already are. The Veterinary Profession is counting on you to make giant strides.”

Participants were drawn from the States and Federal Civil Service, the Military, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Parks Service, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), and Veterinary Teaching Hospitals (VTHs).