FAO boosts Sierra Leone’s frontline animal health workers to save lives and livelihoods
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in Sierra Leone through its Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) conducted various refresher trainings for Field Animal Health personnel and Community Animal Health Workers across the 15 agricultural districts in Sierra Leone. These trainings aimed to enhance the skills of animal health workers in disease surveillance, reporting, and overall disease management, using a One Health approach.
The refresher training sessions focused on improving skills and knowledge on of field animal health workers on principals of good management practices, common animal diseases in Sierra Leone and their prevention and control, animal disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, information management system, One Health, Veterinary Drugs and vaccines, ethnos veterinary medicine, Laboratory sample collection, management, storage and transportation, field biosecurity and biosafety, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use, risk communication as well as conflict prevention and resolution. FAO and MAFS, with funding support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under their Global Health Security Programme (GHSP) portfolio, are targeting livestock inspectors, livestock assistants and Community Animal Health Workers (CAHW) supporting farming communities along the value in the country.
The first training was conducted from 23 to 27 September 2024 in Bo City, with 32 participants from eight districts. The second training was conducted from 30 September to 4 October 2024 in Makeni City comprising of 32 trainees. These trainings were led by MAFS officials, FAO experts and private veterinarians, using a mix of theoretical, practical and fieldwork.
Strengthening Sierra Leone’s animal health capacity
Speaking at the workshop, the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Henry Musa Kpaka, thanked FAO for its continued efforts in building the capacity of the Livestock and Veterinary Services Division. He emphasized that controlling livestock diseases is critical to food security, which aligns with the Government’s Flagship programme “Feed Salone initiative”. Dr. Kpaka encouraged the trainees to apply their newly acquired skills to improve the livestock sector.
The Director of Livestock and Veterinary Services Division, Saidu Bamayange, on behalf of the Chief Agricultural Officer, highlighted the importance of these trainings in enhancing the country’s disease surveillance and control capabilities. He appreciated USAID’s support and shared that the Ministry, in partnership with Njala University, had recently established a Para-veterinary School to further develop frontline animal health workers' skills. He informed the meeting that the first cohort of 30 students, including livestock inspectors, livestock assistants and Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) are currently undergoing training, with plans to support an additional 200 frontline animal health workers. As part of the Government’s vision to maintain a well skilled and equipped animal health personnel at the frontline in all districts and communities, plans are underway to recruit at least 150 more personnel to the Livestock and Veterinary Services Directorate, who will be posted at strategic points such as veterinary surveillance centers, livestock markets, slaughter houses/slabs, quarantine centers/holding grounds and points of entry (PoEs) at the International borders. These efforts will boost the country's capacity to improve animal health, food safety, and disease prevention and safeguard the country against importation of foreign diseases from other countries.
A focus on One Health
Mohamed Foday Sheriff, Head of the Epidemiology Unit at MAFS, emphasized the importance of collaboration between animal health workers and Community Health Workers to address zoonotic diseases. He highlighted the Government's implementation of community-based surveillance in all districts and the upcoming introduction of joint One Health reporting tools to enhance disease surveillance and control.
Bridget Oya Kamara, National Project Coordinator for FAO's Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) in Sierra Leone, reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the Government in building sustainable animal health and One Health capacities to mitigate the risks posed by emerging and re-emerging diseases, zoonoses, and antimicrobial resistance.
Livestock assistant Minkailu Kamara who participated in the training expressed his gratitude to FAO, noting that the training has improved their ability to monitor and control animal diseases in their communities. “Through this training, we expect to improve animal health service delivery within our respective communities,” he said.
FAO ECTAD Sierra Leone, with support from USAID, will continue to work closely with the Government to reinforce animal health systems, helping to protect both livelihoods, improve households ‘incomes, nutrition, and public health through a One Health approach.