July 17, 2006

 

USDA, FAO launch animal disease crisis management centre

 

 

The US Department of Agriculture Friday (Jul 14) said in a release it would send four veterinary specialists to Rome to assist the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in launching a crisis management centre that will enhance worldwide response to animal disease.

 

The Centre is to begin operations by the end of July at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, the USDA release said.

 

Plans call for the Crisis Management Centre, a facility run by the FAO in close collaboration with the

World Organization for Animal Health to provide animal disease analysis and information and deploy international resources to prevent and contain dangerous animal diseases. The current focus is to be on highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu that continues to spread throughout the world.

 

The US says it will provide US$1.8 million to the FAO to create the Centre. Other contributors include France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.

 

The FAO operations are aimed at:

 

- Strengthening of disease intelligence and emergency preparedness;

 

- Examining the role of migratory birds in the disease spread;

 

- Supporting broad awareness creation and risk communication;

 

- Analysing the social and economic consequences of the disease and its control;

 

- Strengthening field surveillance, laboratory capabilities, global bird flu surveillance and early warning capabilities;

 

- Advising governments and building capacities on disease surveillance and control.

 

The Centre also is to collaborate with the UN's World Health Organization.