Item 7. Progress of Regional FMD control programmes

Statement of Intentions for countries neighbouring the Caucasus) participated. He highlighted the extent of change and the movement towards international trade and the progress to establish PCP Stage 3 zones. The latter is most advanced in Georgia and the recent workshop reviewed actions needed to prevent virus entry and circulation in such zones. The PCP process, with development of national risk based strategic plans (RBSP) has assisted Georgia to develop a suite of such plans, covering multiple TADS. This is attractive for national uptake and also for gaining financial support. He recommended this approach within the region. He reviewed the ambitious programme of the EpiNetwork; all the actions were possible but without a dedicated persons the focal points from West Eurasia countries have insufficient time to take it forward; support is needed from EuFMD and others.

The President thanked Dr Avaliani for the report and his support for regional workshops, as well as evidence of progress. He drew attention to the Meeting planned at the OIE in May (22nd) and the need to ensure that this is used well. Effort is needed to bring Iranian participation since this matters for all the other countries. The OIE indicated the availability of a room for the meeting.

Turkey: Report on FMD control

Dr Bulut provided a comprehensive report, in which the major changes are both in terms of virus strains (a new incursion of type O (lineage TOK-17) with 132 outbreaks in the first two months of 2018, and in terms of national strategy. On the first, the current vaccine contains O TUR2007, two type A components (GVII and SAM16). Asia-1 is not currently included. On the second, the national plan (RBSP) was revised in 2017 after problems of implementation; the new plan has the goal of national FMD freedom with vaccination in 2023, with the steps of Stage 3, 2018, stage 4, in 2021 and after two years, FMD freedom with vaccination. In support of this, the EuFMD/GDFC training programme has been important to bring in routine use of a system of outbreak investigations. The TURKVET information system has been upgraded, to automatically restrict movement permit in surveillance zones, and other features to improve vaccination/booster rates, with a subsidy payment linked to booster vaccination. Stamping-out is planned for high risk areas (this drew some discussion), but is dependent on budget allocation.

Relating to regional control, GDFC called for:

- Continuity of support for Roadmaps, to ensure an annual process; - More urgency for progress – free of clinical FMD by 2025 remains a distant goal and has already slipped from 2020; - Greater support for work with Iran, and engagement of Turkey in this; - EuFMD to undertake the pilot study on animal price differentials across the regional border, as proposed following the mission to Turley and Iran; - Greater co-operation in the region to prevent incursions, which currently are detected much too late.

The President responded to this by proposing a meeting at the OIE between Turkey, Iran and EuFMD (and not excluding others who may wish to join), to find a way forward that will better engage or commit to a series of activities. This was supported by the Committee.

Conclusion

20. Greater effort is merited under the Pillar 2 programme to engage with Iran, particularly on data sharing, on laboratory co-operation and on the study on livestock price differentials. The interests of Iran in this need to be understood and the Secretariat should propose to the parties a meeting to be held at the OIE in late May.

Initiatives for FMD management in Central Asia and on the borders with Mongolia and China (for information).

Dr Andriy Rozstalnyy provided an update on the project expected to be funded by the Russian Federation through FAO, for Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. As these countries could be gateways of infection entry from countries to the south, improved control would help to reduce the potential circulation in Caucasus and risks to Kazakhstan/RF. Dr Raizman (Appendix 15) provided a briefing on the intention to revive/support trilateral meetings between Russian Federation, Mongolia and China; these had occurred with some positive spirit under FAO support but it was some time since the last one. He hoped to see the meeting resume in 2018.

Dr Lebedev (RF) confirmed the strong interest to promote FMD control in these regions and expressed concern that several countries in central Asia are not openly reporting the FMD circulation, and this may be behind the incursion of the type O into RF in 2017. More projects with an emphasis on surveillance and monitoring are needed. Currently Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan remain gaps where the extent of FMD circulation is unclear.

Conclusion

21. The Committee welcomed the development and asked to be briefed on progress at subsequent Sessions.

Item 8. Support to the Global Strategy

The report (Appendix 16) was provided by Dr Nick Lyons (Pillar III Supervisor of the Global actions under the EC programme). He briefly reviewed how the Pillar III work is structured, largely into PCP support, Global Laboratory Surveillance and Global Training programmes. In relation to the Global Strategy, a major area of weakness had been the follow-up at country level to actions recommended at Roadmap meetings. Twenty five (25) countries were in the category of “provisional” for their PCP stage, meaning they need to improve or complete their national plans – they had been given six months to complete this and it had usually not occurred. The proposal developed by EuFMD to support the follow-up was presented (PCP-support officers system, or PSOs) in which experts from the EuFMD roster would be assigned to countries on basis of experience in the country or region, and provide guidance (“desk-support”). The proposal had been sent to the other members of the OIE and FAO Working Group. The OIE had provided its support and indicated this was urgently needed. FAO had not provided its position; Dr Raizman indicated it also supported. The need to train additional PSO was evident and to some extent EuFMD could so this by training on the job, working alongside senior PSOs/experts during in- country PCP activities. The experience criteria for a PSO had been defined,

since these persons must be capable to provide an assessment of the actions needed at national level and what is required at that level to reach a nationally agreed plan.

Conclusions:

22. The Committee supports the proposal to provide PCP-support officer (PSO) expertise to provide guidance to national follow-up to GF-TADS Roadmap recommendations; 23. The development of further PSO expertise by training or accreditation is needed, to address the needs of regions such as West Africa. These experts might come from partners already active in the regions, from FAO, OIE and technical institutions; 24. EuFMD should continue to develop a training approach for these experts as well as for staff at national level.

Item 9. Report of the Standing Technical Committee

The Report (Appendix 17) was presented by Dr Eoin Ryan, Chairman of the STC.

He reviewed the position of six funded projects:

- four funded from the 4th call - One each from the 5th and 6th calls

Selected for support under the 4th EuFMD-FAR (issued February 2017)

- European multi-country FMD Spread model (EuFMDiS) - Project Lead Applicant: Dr Graeme

Garner. Signed: 18 October 2017/Duration: 18 months. Overall cost: € 48 600.00. The progress was good, on track and already reported at the 95th Session. - Validating the use of bulk tank milk for surveillance of FMD among commercial dairy farms in endemic settings) - Project Lead Applicant: Dr Nicholas Lyons, The Pirbright Institute. LoA

Signed: 20 July 2017/Duration: 12 months. Overall cost: € 48 881. Evaluating the use of bulkmilk as a prospective, integrated surveillance tool for infection among large-scale commercial farms in the endemic settings of Iran and Kenya. Good progress in Kenya and Iran, the former have already set samples to Pirbright and results are very promising; Iranian partners are working well with sampling on track. - Evaluation in field conditions of a safe and cost-effective protocol for shipment of samples from Foot-and–Mouth Disease suspected cases for laboratory diagnostic (FIELD_EVAL_INACT) – Dr Sandra Blaise-Boisseau, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES). LoA Signed: 18 October 2017/Duration: 18 months. Overall cost: € 75 940. To evaluate/validate, in real situation under field conditions, the performance and safety of a protocol for improving the cost-effectiveness of FMD samples shipment, based on the inactivation of FMDV on the Lateral Flow Device (LFD). Samples are currently being collected on the field using LFDs in Turkey, Nigeria and Pakistan. Progress on track, reported by ANSES under Item 3. - Validating multiplex real-time RT-PCR as a tool for FMD detection in bulk tank milk (Acronym:

Tank Milk Multiplex) – Dr. Michael Eschbaumer, The Friedrich-Loeffler Institut (FLI). LoA

Signed: 26 January 2018/Duration: 6 months. Overall cost: € 23 715.23. Just started, and works in partnership with the project funded through the Pirbright Institute