Strengthening the skills of West African veterinary services in the fight against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

20 June 2024, Dakar, Senegal – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has organized between 23 April and 23 May 2024 a virtual learning course on emergency preparedness related to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The course, developed in collaboration with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) in Germany, is aimed at public and private veterinary professionals involved in the control of this disease in West Africa.

This online course, offered simultaneously in French and English by the FAO VLC for West Africa, aims to strengthen the capacity of West African veterinary services in the fight against avian influenza. Through the different modules offered, this online course also aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of veterinary service officers, including those in charge of environmental protection and parks and reserves, who are involved in the fight against this major poultry disease.

The course is spread over a four-week period and includes interactive modules covering the topics such as epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentation, laboratory diagnosis, prevention, surveillance and investigation of avian influenza outbreaks. It also offers a variety of activities, including two live sessions (opening and closing webinars), eight interactive online modules, a discussion forum which gives the opportunity for participants to interact with peers, experts and also access to additional resources on the topic. In total, nearly 500 participants from the 15 ECOWAS Member States registered on the FAO Virtual Learning Centre for West Africa platform to participate in this online course, which was delivered with the support of a team of facilitators from the Emergency Centre for the Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI).

HPAI, a persistent threat in West Africa

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is one of the priority zoonoses in all West African countries, where it causes significant mortalities and the mass slaughter of many poultry. According to data from the World Organization for Animal Health, at least 27 of Africa's 54 countries and territories have reported at least once cases of HPAI in animals since 2005. In the West African sub-region, this disease remains a significant threat to animal and public health, food security and the incomes of vulnerable groups and national economies. Since its first appearance in 2006 in Western African region, outbreaks are frequently reported in both domestic and wild birds indicating a persistent circulation of the virus. Between January and April 2024, cases have already been reported in many West African countries namely Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The availability of a trained and skilled veterinary workforce is essential to ensure animal health and to combat this major poultry disease such as HPAI, which is now spreading to other species including cattle, goats and cats.

FAO Virtual Training Centers

This online course on Avian Influenza Emergency Preparedness is organized with the support of the FAO Virtual Training Centre for West Africa, which has been in place since the second half of 2023, within the Animal Health and Animal Production Unit of the FAO Sub-Regional Office for West Africa.

According to the reflection collected at the end of this course, it was well appreciated by the participants who found it overall very relevant and useful for them for effectively fighting against avian influenza. "This is the first time I have attended such a comprehensive and in-depth training course on avian influenza," said one of the French-speaking participants. One of his colleagues in the English session also commented: “I enjoyed all aspects of the course. The parts I found most helpful were the investigation and outbreak response.”

The FAO Virtual Training Centers (VLCs) are virtual platforms created by FAO to strengthen and enhance One Health capacity in all FAO regions. Their mission is to provide learners with access to inclusive, challenging and high-quality training using a variety of methodologies. VLCs use a decentralized model that allows FAO regions to develop and deliver courses that take into account regional needs and contexts.