Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance A program of the Global Animal Information Network for Surveillance
  |  Login
Forums > GAINS Forums > GAINS News
Subject: FAO and GAINS/FVP joint training efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean
Prev Next
You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author Messages
admin_ehively
Posts:24
12/06/2006 8:08 AM  
At the request of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Technical Cooperation Programs (TCPs) for Latin America and the Caribbean the Field Veterinary Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society was asked to develop and teach two training courses on avian influenza surveillance in wild birds, one in Spanish, and the other in English. The first course took place in Lima, Peru from October 23-27th, while the second has just been completed in Kingston, Jamaica, the week of November 13-17th. The purpose of these courses is to assist the FAO in developing a network of trained wildlife experts in the region that can serve as in-country resources for conducting wildlife monitoring, wildlife disease sampling and surveillance, and also participate in wildlife and poultry outbreak investigations. This training also provides infrastructure and builds in-country capacity, identified as a priority of FAO TCP and GAINS activities. The two courses instructed 34 participants (one from each country in the region) on wildlife biology and ecology, wild bird capture and handling, wildlife disease surveillance and sampling techniques. The course in Peru had participants from 17 Spanish speaking Latin American countries. This 5 day practical course took place in Lima, a nearby wetland (Pantanos de Villa), and the shorebird sanctuary of Paracas Natural Reserve, about 300 km South of Lima. Subjects taught during the course included general concepts of avian influenza and it's highly pathogenic form in wild birds, migratory and aquatic species of importance for avian influenza surveillance, research and capture methodologies for aquatic and migratory birds, sample collection techniques (live and dead birds), general avian influenza epidemiology, differential diagnosis for wild bird mortalities, avian influenza surveillance/monitoring plan design, prevention and reaction plans for highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks, etc. Participants were veterinarians from government veterinary services with little previous exposure to the subjects taught. An additional goal of the course was to promote interdisciplinary work and entice Latin American government agencies to design and implement avian influenza surveillance programs which include wild birds, with the assistance and collaboration of local wildlife experts. For this course, Dr. Uhart (Field Veterinary Program, Latin America) put together a team of local experts (wildlife veterinarians, virologist, pathologist, epidemiologist and ornithologists), which worked with her to develop the course curricula, course lectures, a written handbook with course contents, and prepared local logistics for field activities. Translation of materials developed for this course and the format of multi-disciplinary instruction have recently been used for the second training course, held in Jamaica on Nov 13-17th, and organized by Dr. Kristine Smith of the GAINS program.
You are not authorized to post a reply.
Forums > GAINS Forums > GAINS News > FAO and GAINS/FVP joint training efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean



ActiveForums 3.7