Workshop participants

Delegates from ten Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC) countries are in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania attending a workshop on Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Laboratory Diagnostic and Technical Assistance on Serology Tests.

The aim is to learn and share experiences for surveillance and eradication of PPR in their respective countries and the SADC region as a whole.

Speaking when officiating the training workshop, the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to the United Republic of Tanzania, Fred Kafeero, said that livestock is one of the key sub-sectors that FAO places great emphasis.

“Livestock supports countries achieve Sustainable Development Goals on Poverty Alleviation and Zero Hunger…FAO recognizes the serious impact of diseases on the production and productivity of small ruminants hindering their potential to contribute to food and nutrition security as well as poverty reduction,” he said.

One such important disease, the FAO Representative mentioned is PPR which is a highly contagious small ruminant’s disease with important economic impact to small holder livestock keepers due to its high mortality and morbidity rates ranging from 50-90percent and 10-90percent respectively in affected populations.  

According to him, FAO and the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) established in 2016 a secretariat that spearheads global efforts to eradicate PPR using the 2015 Global Strategy for the control and eradication of PPR.

On her part, the Acting Executive Director of the Tanzania Veterinary and Laboratory Agency and the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Dr. Jelly Chang’a, Tanzania was happy to host the meeting which has a big bearing on the livestock sub-sector in the region.  

“Our aim is to promote animal health and welfare through disease and vector control, diagnostic services and surveillance. We believe through this workshop, we’ll have the opportunity to establish scientific networks and research partners for addressing PPR in the region,” she said.

Dr. Sane Charles of the African Union Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC) said in Africa, the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources and AU-PANVAC developed the ‘Pan African Programme for the control and eradication of PPR that was adopted by ministers responsible livestock.

“During this week, we’ll review together key laboratory tests for diagnosis of PPR. The workshop will consist presentations and practical sessions,” he said.  

The training programme and technical support from AU-PANVAC to SADC countries for PPR diagnosis is funded by FAO SADC Region and USDA-APHIS South-Africa.