Point 9. National preparedness for FMD control

funded DETR programme which works in some of the CIS countries. Given that the regional economic co-operation organization (ECO) had shown increasing interest and involvement with transboundary diseases, he considered that it was appropriate to consider developing a long term control strategy to bring together the national and international efforts towards a common objective. An offer had been made by the IVO, Iran, to host a regional meeting on FMD control, in Iran (Shiraz), September 1-3, as a joint meeting under the EuFMD/EC programme and the GTFS/INT/907/ITA. FAO considered this would be a good opportunity to discuss the regional situation and the development of a “West EurAsia Roadmap to FMD freedom”; the objectives, topics, organization and invitees were summarized in a draft paper (Appendix 16). The Presidents of the European and Middle-east Steering Committees of GF-TADS (Bernard van Goethem, EC and George Khoury, Syria), and the Regional OIE representatives would be invited to participate, since the region involves MS from both regions. Conclusions

The Committee supported the proposal, and encouraged FAO to proceed with OIE in the development of a “Roadmap” towards FMD freedom in the region where Europe and Asia meet. The Chairman recommended participation in the meeting of the EuFMD Commission, through the Secretary with at least one member of the Executive Committee. ITEM 9. NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS FOR FMD CONTROL

Contingency planning (CP): development of self-assessment/audit system The issue of quality of CP in the EuFMD MS and neighbouring countries was introduced by the Secretary (Appendix 17). He explained that one impact of the efforts of FAO to assist countries at risk from HPAI was the development of assessment tools, including for CPs. The proposal for consideration was to adapt or develop self-assessment tools that countries, or assessment missions, could use to check the coverage and depth of CPs for FMD. In discussion, it was agreed that CP evaluation tools have been developed by the EC and have been used by the Food-and Veterinary Office (FVO) in inspections, and that EUFMD should consider using or adapting the FVO tool for countries which are not in the EU. The Committee considered that sharing of experience in CP between MS remained weak, and sharing of lessons learnt and best practices could be of major benefit. The Committee therefore asked the Secretariat to reconsider the proposal, and identify how a network of CP practitioners in the MS could be developed in the context of EUFMD. The members agreed to identifying focal points in their services who might assist to share ideas on establishing such a network.

FMD “Roadshow” concept for updating and training A concept paper was presented by the Secretary (Appendix 18), for joint EuFMD/EC/OIE training events, made in response to the requests from MS for greater training of their staff on FMD, including disease recognition and decision making, at the 2007 General Session. The situation in Cyprus and UK in 2007 also provided lessons in clinical and pre-clinical surveillance, and diagnostic decision making. Although FMD remained the same, the tools continued to evolve, for diagnosis, in the surveillance requirements of the OIE Code, and in the capacity of the EC and EuFMD/FAO to assist in a crisis. The principle of the Roadshow would be to tailor the training to the needs of the country, to use desk-top exercises where relevant to promote problem solving, and to train the trainers so that materials could be adapted and used by the country in their own programmes. In discussion, two training gaps were identified: 1) clinical recognition, diagnosis and immediate response, and 2) decision making on local and national control (including exit strategies), where the differences between countries and regions would be greatest. Dr Brückner (OIE) discouraged the use of seminars and favoured the use of simulation exercises in training; he agreed that the “Roadshow” could be a concept used in other regions and should involve the GF-TADS Committees, Regional Representatives and OIE/FAO Regional Animal Health Centres.

76th Session of the Executive Committee of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease 5