ITEM 7. FMD ACTIONS RELATING TO THE SOUTH AND EAST MEDITERRANEAN AREA

78thExcom-Oct2009 Dr Gibbens agreed with the proposed change in emphasis, from support to vaccination campaigns towards technical support to countries to improve monitoring and management. Dr Fuessel agreed with the proposed change towards addressing high risk areas, but considered that a need remained to get the information on the FMD situation in the Trans-Caucasus region. The programme on the African zone will be very important because this region immediately south of the Sahara has high importance for introduction into Egypt/Libya, and the former borders Israel, a MS. The regions a bit further from the borders of the EuFMD could be covered by GF-TADS; and the Commission should not forget the countries in the Balkan where also technical support is probably needed.

Conclusions

1. The Committee endorsed the proposed re-orientation of support in West Eurasia, with increased effort to support control in Iran, and an increased support to laboratory networking and co-ordination of monitoring efforts across the wider region; 2. The situation in Egypt must remain under continual monitoring, and support of the Commission is justified to assist FMDV monitoring and control efforts.

ITEM 7. FMD actions relating to the South and East Mediterranean area

7.1) FMD actions with the Euro-Mediterranean Animal Health Network(REMESA) The REMESA network currently involves 6 North African countries and 4 European countries (Portugal, Spain, France and Italy) with funding from the European partners, implemented through FAO via the Tunis Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC). The 38th Session recommended that EuFMD work together with REMESA, as far as possible as an integral part of the REMESA mechanism. Following request also from the Beirut RAHC to develop joint training activities, a proposal was developed by the Secretariat, and presented by Dr Ben Youssef (Appendix 12). The main proposed training actions had the aim of increasing capacity to recognise and confirm FMD serotypes, to plan national surveillance activities in line with the needs of the Progressive Control Pathway (mainly PCP Stage 1 or 2), and laboratory training to support the previous two activities. The proposal is to share costs with the OIE, as a joint activity, with EuFMD/EC support given to cover the provision of expert European trainers, and for participation of EuFMD priority countries.

Discussion:

Dr Angot supported the proposal, stressing the importance of the Mediterranean region, and that the AFFSA Maisons Alfort would be available to support training, including epidemio-surveillance design. The Chairman questioned the costs of the proposed programme, and requested a revised proposal be developed for consideration at or before the next Session; he proposed the inclusion of trainees from countries which had not experienced FMD for > 5years in the Real-Time training programme for European countries.

7.2) FMD situation in Egypt This was introduced by Keith Sumption. FAO has supported a one year emergency TCP project in Egypt which finished in September 2009 which addressed the questions of vaccine quality, the lack of reporting of outbreaks, the lack of standard laboratory procedures for monitoring vaccination campaigns and diagnosis of outbreaks. It had uncovered the wide exposure of animals to FMD in Egypt, and the continuous circulation of type A (East African type) and O PanAsiaII. A Short Message Service (SMS) based reporting system had been set-up which resulted in the reporting to OIE, and to isolation of isolates from Egypt; promising progress had been made in lab standardization, and the central lab was under refurbishment as a Class III facility, suggesting local willingness to upgrade capacity. Very major issues remain, and Egypt should be considered a very important country for continued FMD risk (as well as risk of other exotic diseases).