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Regional and global control of foot and mouth disease
During the Conference, the global and regional strategy for the control of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was the subject of a consensus based on the application of the recommendations issued by the Global Conference on FMD held in Asunción in 2009.
The consensus is based on the implementation of official OIE recognition of national and regional eradication plans developed taking into account the epidemiological and socioeconomic characteristics of each region and with the continuous methodological support of the OIE and FAO, within the framework of an alliance between the two organisations decided at the global level.
“Today, only 66 of the 177 Member Countries worldwide are officially recognised by the OIE as being FMD free. With this new strategy, we expect to be able to increase the figure to more than 100 FMD-free countries in the coming years, while helping countries that have become FMD free to remain so”, declared Dr Bernard Vallat, Director General of the OIE.
How to respond to the risks related to climate change
The subject of links between climate change, animal production and emerging and re emerging diseases, most of which are transmissible to humans, prompted a lively debate resulting in Conference participants reaching common positions on the need to strengthen the national Veterinary Services in compliance with the standards of quality issued by the OIE to help them address the new health risks associated with climate change.
There was also a consensus on acknowledging the great complexity of the debate on the link between animal production and climate change and on the need for further studies on the subject, while at the same time recognising the considerable contribution that livestock make to human welfare. The need for good practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and for appropriate scientific research programmes was also emphasised.
Disease prevention and control
Each Member Country described the animal health situation in its territory, programmes underway to eliminate diseases still present and programmes to prevent the introduction of new pathogens.
http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_101119.htm
