FAO is promoting the control of transboundary livestock diseases (Foot and Mouth Disease and Peste des Petits Ruminants) in Punjab. One of the ways to improve control is the strengthening of laboratories for the diagnosis of FMD and PPR by ELISA in the Province.
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) kits are imported by FAO and are used to detect the antigenic analysis of FMD in livestock.
For this purpose, a training course on ELISA and other diagnostic techniques used for FMD and PPR diagnosis was organized on 4-8 April 2018 for the six-provincial disease diagnostic laboratories of Punjab at National Veterinary Laboratories, Islamabad. Two lab scientists from each laboratory (Bahawalpur, Multan, Sargodha, DG Khan, Lahore and Faisalabad) participated in the said training course.
Mr. Nasar Hayat (Assistant FAO Representative – Head of Program) along with Dr. Aamir Bin Zahur (Director General, NVL, MoNFS&R, Islamabad) and Dr. M. Afzal (FAO - Project Coordinator) grace the inaugural session on Wednesday 4th April 2018.
The participants were given a chance for hands on practical work to evaluate repeatability and reproducibility of test.