FAO AND USAID through ECTAD graduates the first cohort of the In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET)
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today graduated the first cohort of veterinarians and para-veterinary professionals who successfully completed the frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET). The four-month training programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was launched by FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF), and other partners.
The first phase of the four months training commenced on 7th June 2021. This included a one month of theoretical class training and three months of home-based mentored training at the trainee’s respective duty stations. The chief guest during the graduation ceremony; the Director of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr Obadiah Njagi in his remarks welcomed FAO's action “to strengthen the capacities of Kenyan veterinarians in the field epidemiology and promised to make good use of their skills for efficient and responsible decision-making during epidemics”.
The occasion was also graced by the Regional Manager for Eastern Africa of FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Control (ECTAD), Charles Bebay, who affirmed that “Capacity building of animal health professionals in epidemiology is part of FAO's mission, and is one of the goals of the USAID-funded Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)”. According to him, “ISAVET will help fill the important gap in veterinary epidemiologists at all levels of the health pyramid to ensure the surveillance and control of diseases under the "One Health" approach”.
The Director of Veterinary Services, acknowledged the major contribution of ISAVET in enhancing the capacity of frontline animal health workers, the foot soldiers in control and management of transboundary animal diseases and priority zoonotic diseases. He urged the graduates to utilize the acquired competencies and skills in enhancing animal health surveillance and establishing a borderless animal health services at various regional borders as provided by the various signed Memorandum of Understanding between the neighboring countries.
Structured and routine on job training for frontline animal health workers
The ISAVET programme provides a structured and routine on-job training for animal health workforce, a gap identified during the 2017 Joint External Evaluation (JEE) exercise carried out inKenya. The programme integrates work and learning in the workplace within an in-service training model which increases the scope and quality of work output, enhances necessary epidemiology competencies and skills needed to strengthen the delivery of veterinary services, particularly for early disease detection, prevention, and control. Furthermore, the programme builds joint training of veterinarians, and other One Health workforce strengthening both informal and formal working relationships for timely and effective management of transboundary animal diseases, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance under a One Health approach.
During the field-based training, all trainees were paired to a mentor and a trainer who provided them with weekly guidance to in creating surveillance summary reports, conducting the data quality audits, and preparing the report. All the 25 trainees in the first cohort have successfully completed and submitted their expected field audits and field projects reports to the National ISAVET coordinators with the approval of their mentors effectively completing the course. The research topics covered assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the population in management of various zoonotic diseases (like rabies and anthrax), transboundary animal diseases (for example Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR). An Assessment of epidemiology and economic loss of various economically important production diseases such as mastitis was also conducted using cross sectional surveys of retrospective data. Emerging topics of Antimicrobial Resistance were also addressed.
ISAVET training was well appreciated by the various beneficiaries. According to Jane Akale Eregae, a field veterinarian from Turkana County: "ISAVET is a structured training relevant for field officers working in animal disease surveillance at the county, sub county and ward levels. The skills acquired will enable us to detect diseases early on in order to help decision-makers make good preparedness, prevention, and response decisions. We learnt how to conduct an epidemiological investigation, manage data, and develop concise informative disease reports and mitigation measures by technical officers and policy makers. My field study report on mapping of stock routes for livestock from various sources of Kakuma and Lodwar livestock markets from July - August 2021 and associated risk factors for transboundary and priority zoonotic diseases (PZDs) transmission. Recommendations from the study include investing on livestock infrastructure at various nodes along the stock routes, value chains and raising awareness among the livestock traders on PZD”.
Enhanced capacity of frontline animal health workers in surveillance, prevention, and control of animal diseases
Field veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals are a critical component of the workforce that contribute to effective surveillance, field investigation and emergency response. This 1st cohort of the ISAVET have gained a set of core competencies and a range of critical skills required for effective surveillance, field investigation and emergency response to zoonoses and animal-specific diseases, including transboundary, endemic, emerging and re-emerging diseases. This skilled cohort of in-service frontline animal health workers joins the national and regional animal health network to effectively provide adequate surveillance, field investigation and risk assessment of animal health related zoonotic events and emergencies.
For further information, contact person:
Joseph Othieno
National Communications officer
FAO Kenya
Tel:0721448462
Email:[email protected]
Yanira Santana
Regional Communications and Outreach
Bureau FAO ECTAD Africa
Email : [email protected]
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08 November 2021, virtual – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today graduated the first cohort of veterinarians and para-veterinary professionals who successfully completed the frontline In-Service Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training (ISAVET). The four-month training programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was launched by FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF), and other partners. The first phase of the four months training commenced on 7th June 2021. This included a one month of theoretical class training and three months of home-based mentored training at the trainee’s respective duty stations. The chief guest during the graduation ceremony; the Director of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr Obadiah Njagi in his remarks welcomed FAO's action “to strengthen the capacities of Kenyan veterinarians in the field epidemiology and promised to make good use of their skills for efficient and responsible decision-making during epidemics”. The occasion was also graced by the Regional Manager for Eastern Africa of FAO’s Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Control (ECTAD), Charles Bebay, who affirmed that “Capacity building of animal health professionals in epidemiology is part of FAO's mission, and is one of the goals of the USAID-funded Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)”. According to him, “ISAVET will help fill the important gap in veterinary epidemiologists at all levels of the health pyramid to ensure the surveillance and control of diseases under the "One Health" approach”. The Director of Veterinary Services, acknowledged the major contribution of ISAVET in enhancing the capacity of frontline animal health workers, the foot soldiers in control and management of transboundary animal diseases and priority zoonotic diseases. He urged the graduates to utilize the acquired competencies and skills in enhancing animal health surveillance and establishing a borderless animal health services at various regional borders as provided by the various signed Memorandum of Understanding between the neighboring countries. Structured and routine on job training for frontline animal health workers The ISAVET programme provides a structured and routine on-job training for animal health workforce, a gap identified during the 2017 Joint External Evaluation (JEE) exercise carried out in Kenya. The programme integrates work and learning in the workplace within an in-service training model which increases the scope and quality of work output, enhances necessary epidemiology competencies and skills needed to strengthen the delivery of veterinary services, particularly for early disease detection, prevention, and control. Furthermore, the programme builds joint training of veterinarians, and other One Health workforce strengthening both informal and formal working relationships for timely and effective management of transboundary animal diseases, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance under a One Health approach. During the field-based training, all trainees were paired to a mentor and a trainer who provided them with weekly guidance to in creating surveillance summary reports, conducting the data quality audits, and preparing the report. All the 25 trainees in the first cohort have successfully completed and submitted their expected field audits and field projects reports to the National ISAVET coordinators with the approval of their mentors effectively completing the course. The research topics covered assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the population in management of various zoonotic diseases (like rabies and anthrax), transboundary animal diseases (for example Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR). An Assessment of epidemiology and economic loss of various economically important production diseases such as mastitis was also conducted using cross sectional surveys of retrospective data. Emerging topics of Antimicrobial Resistance were also addressed. ISAVET training was well appreciated by the various beneficiaries. According to Jane Akale Eregae, a field veterinarian from Turkana County: "ISAVET is a structured training relevant for field officers working in animal disease surveillance at the county, sub county and ward levels. The skills acquired will enable us to detect diseases early on in order to help decision-makers make good preparedness, prevention, and response decisions. We learnt how to conduct an epidemiological investigation, manage data, and develop concise informative disease reports and mitigation measures by technical officers and policy makers. My field study report on mapping of stock routes for livestock from various sources of Kakuma and Lodwar livestock markets from July - August 2021 and associated risk factors for transboundary and priority zoonotic diseases (PZDs) transmission. Recommendations from the study include investing on livestock infrastructure at various nodes along the stock routes, value chains and raising awareness among the livestock traders on PZD”. Enhanced capacity of frontline animal health workers in surveillance, prevention, and control of animal diseases Field veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals are a critical component of the workforce that contribute to effective surveillance, field investigation and emergency response. This 1st cohort of the ISAVET have gained a set of core competencies and a range of critical skills required for effective surveillance, field investigation and emergency response to zoonoses and animal-specific diseases, including transboundary, endemic, emerging and re-emerging diseases. This skilled cohort of in-service frontline animal health workers joins the national and regional animal health network to effectively provide adequate surveillance, field investigation and risk assessment of animal health related zoonotic events and emergencies. |
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For further information, contact person:
Joseph Othieno National Communications officer FAO Kenya Tel:0721448462 Email:[email protected]
Yanira Santana Regional Communications and Outreach Bureau FAO ECTAD Africa Email : [email protected] |
