(Rome, Italy) The ECO Secretariat has participated in a United Nations sponsored PPR Advisory Committee (PPR AC), aimed at eradicating sheep and goat plague around the globe.
The event sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), took place on 4-5 October 2018 at FAO Headquarters in Rome and saw representatives from civil society organizations, intergovernmental organizations, regional economic communities, PPR World Reference Laboratory (WRL), funding partners, FAO and OIE as well as independent PPR experts come together to pave the way for a PPR-free world by 2030.
ECO Director for Agriculture Industry and Tourism, Memduh Unal, attended the meeting which was officially opened by OIE Director General, Monique Eloit, and FAO Director of Animal Production and Health Division, Berhe Tekola.
During the meeting the participants discussed and agreed on the terms of reference of the PPR AC while elaborating the overview on the PPR GEP as well as the PPR Secretariat work plan 2016 ,“ 2021. The PPR GEP Resource Mobilisation and Marketing Strategy were also examined.
The proceedings of the two-day meeting enable the participants to address the various topics in the agenda that included the overview of the PPR GEP, Resource mobilization and marketing strategy, PPR Secretariat organization and work plan, terms of reference and modus operandi of the PPR AC and the Potential activities of the PPR AC in support to the PPR GEP implementation.
Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), is a highly contagious animal disease affecting small ruminants. The virus can infect up to 90 percent of an animal heard, and kill from 30 to 70 percent of infected animals. Since its first outbreak in Côte d'Ivoire in 1942, the disease has spread to large regions in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Today, more than 70 countries have confirmed PPR within their borders, and many countries are at risk of the disease being introduced. These regions are home to approximately 1.7 billion heads ,“ roughly 80 percent ,“ of the global population of sheep and goats.
The Joint Secretariat to guide PPR eradication was set up in 2016. An initial five-year PPR Global Eradication Programme (PPR GEP) for 2017-2021 has been developed in collaboration with key partners and launched in October 2016. The programme aims to lay the foundations for and commences the PPR control and elimination effort in infected countries by developing capacity; understanding the epidemiological situation and defining appropriate implementation strategies to reduce the prevalence of PPR and eventually eradicate the disease. For non-infected countries, the programme will assist in developing capacity to demonstrate the absence of PPR virus and move towards OIE official PPR free status recognition. The programme will also support countries to reduce the prevalence of other prioritized small ruminant diseases and strengthen veterinary systems.
The PPR GEP governance includes the establishment of an Advisory Committee to provide strategic guidance for the programme implementation and ensure effective oversight.
