Vientiane, Lao PDR – On 14 December 2022, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in conjunction with the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, just completed its final sensitizing workshop on the Veterinary Field Epidemiology Training Modules. The three-day workshop, organized between 12 and 14 December 2022, in Vangvieng District, Vientiane Province, was attended by 24 technical veterinary experts. This work is kindly supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as part of the “immediate technical assistance for animal health systems to address emerging and priority zoonotic diseases and health threats in Lao PDR” project.

The content of the veterinary field epidemiology curriculum needed an urgent revision to reflect the current development of the emergence of trans-boundary animal diseases (TAD) and zoonotic diseases (diseases of animals infecting humans). These new diseases threaten livestock production and cause huge economic losses for the farmers and producers in the country.  Continuous vigilance of TADs and zoonotic diseases is crucial to ensure early detection and timely response to contain the spread of infection. With timely and effective detection and response, Lao PDR could continue to serve an increase in the population and their demand on food, while maintaining an exporting opportunities.

Mrs. Vilayphone Vorraphim, Director General of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, expressed that even though the animal disease surveillance and its network have been established in every province, the content on how to conduct the surveillance and veterinary field epidemiology needed to be updated to keep vigilant for TADs and zoonotic diseases in the livestock population in the country. This is especially the case with the new emerging and re-emerging TADs and zoonotic diseases which continue to impose health risks for livestock population in the country.

Dr. Leo Loth, Chief Technical Advisor for FAO Laos’ Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), also acknowledged the significance of the development and revision of the veterinary field epidemiology training modules. During the three-day workshop, he strongly urged experts from relevant sectors, namely government agencies, private sector and academics, to comment and agree on additional chapters and contents of the basic field veterinary epidemiology manual, which has been built upon on the version previously drafted during the first sensitizing workshop organized in March 2022.

On completion of the revision, the manual will be presented to the Department of Livestock and Fisheries for endorsement. Once approved, the Department of Livestock and Fishery will conduct a series of training among relevant government agencies at provincial and district level, in order to ensure that the staff are equipped with updated knowledge on surveillance and field epidemiology.