Edition: 31 July to 11 August 2023
RISK REDUCTION
 ©fao//Cuong Nguyen | VIET NAM Documenting baseline biosecurity practices in wildlife facilities In collaboration with CITES Management Authority, FAO conducted a field survey of captive wildlife facilities in Viet Nam. The survey team, including animal health specialists and wildlife specialists at the provincial livestock department and environmental protection, visited seven wildlife facilities, one traditional market and two wildlife restaurants across the five provinces (Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang) in Northern of Vietnam. The team also organized training on risk assessment of infectious diseases from wild animals to humans and domestic animals in Lao Cai to develop provincial staff capacity to conduct a field survey with 26 participants from the five targeted provinces. Thanks to the European Union for the support through the Safety Across Asia for the Global Environment project. |
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)
 ©FAO/Noutlady Inthavong | LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Strengthening AMR/Antimicrobial Usage (AMU) surveillance analysis in animals through WHONET application FAO supported the refresher training course on applying the WHONET program for AMR surveillance data management in the animal health sector in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The training held between 31 July and 4 August 2023 is crucial to ensure National Animal Health Laboratory (NAHL) officials gain accurate results and good AMR surveillance data management. Thanks to United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UK Aid) through Fleming Fund, FAO has supported the government on AMR surveillance and animal monitoring since 2018. The work includes building the capacity of NAHL and its networks in the areas of proper field sampling, proper sample handling, enhancing diagnostic test capacity for bacterial culture and identification, performing antimicrobial susceptibility tests and AMR data management. Read the news here. |
SURVEILLANCE
 ©FAO Cambodia | CAMBODIA AND ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Evaluating animal disease surveillance system in Cambodia FAO and the General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP) evaluated the animal disease surveillance system in Cambodia using the Surveillance Evaluation Tool from 31 July to 10 August 2023. This effort aimed to help Cambodia navigates towards enhanced surveillance capacity for rapid disease detection and control. On 10 August 2023, a validation workshop was organized to showcase findings and recommendations to government officials, including provincial offices, development partners, academia and many more. Thanks to USAID, the results of this workshop contributed to the better development of interventions and policies to create an enabling environment for the surveillance of animal diseases in Cambodia. |
PARTNERSHIP
 ©fao PERU | INDONESIA AND VIET NAM Supporting the launch of FAO ECTAD in Peru FAO ECTAD Indonesia and Viet Nam contributed during the launch of FAO ECTAD in Peru on 8 August 2023. With a session on “ECTAD in the world,” two videos were shown in this high-level event: a message recorded by the Secretary of Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture about how FAO ECTAD has supported his country and a footage on avian influenza control efforts supported by FAO ECTAD in Viet Nam. Thanks to USAID for its continuous support, these two videos gave powerful messages to stakeholders in Peru about what can be achieved if we collaborate closely with the authorities. The recording is available here. |
 ©Department of Livestock Development | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Meeting with the Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development FAO delegation including the Director of Animal Production and Health Division and the ECTAD Regional Manager met with the Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development to update FAO’s works and activities in Thailand and the region on 7 August 2023. Participants also discussed the preparation of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock Multistakeholder Meeting, which will be hosted by Thailand from 30 October to 3 November 2023. Further collaboration with Thailand and other countries in the region on sustainable livestock transformation were explored.
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 ©fao/Rindu Putri | ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Visiting national institute of animal health FAO visited Thailand's national institute of animal health (NIAH) on 8 August 2023. FAO and NIAH shared their work and efforts supporting animal health laboratories and exploring future collaboration. During the visit, FAO also had the opportunity to witness the enhanced animal health laboratories in NIAH.
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ONE HEALTH
 ©FAO | LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC AND ASIA AND THE PACIFIC National Bridging Workshop organized in Lao PDR FAO in Lao PDR and RAP supported the organizing of the National Bridging Workshop (NBW) in Vientiane Province on 9-11 August 2023, along with WHO and WOAH as a Tripartite program. The NBW brought together national stakeholders from the animal health and the human health services from national, regional and local levels, as well as representatives of other relevant sectors. A joint NBW roadmap of corrective measures and strategic investments was developed to improve the work at the animal-human interface in the prevention, detection and control of zoonotic diseases, thanks to USAID. |
 ©FAO/Saskia Soedarjo | INDONESIA Initial meeting to develop Indonesia's One Health Joint Plan of Action The Indonesian Ministry of Health hosted the initial meeting to develop the Indonesia’s One Health Joint Plan of Action (OHJPA) in Jakarta from August 10 to August 11, 2023. The meeting was led by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, and participants included representatives from other related ministries, FAO Indonesia and WHO Indonesia as representatives of the Quadripartite, and the Australia Indonesia Health Security Partnership (AIHSP). USAID Indonesia also supports the development of this OHJPA. The Indonesia’s OHJPA outlines the country's commitment to collectively support the implementation of One Health to prevent future pandemics and to promote health sustainably. FAO Indonesia and WHO Indonesia will continue to assist Ministries and Agencies by forming a mentoring team as well as compiling and drafting the Indonesian OHJPA. The next meeting will be held after the Indonesian OHJPA development team has completed the initial draft. |
 ©FAO/Fahad Kaizer | BANGLADESH Successful candidates of MCVS graduation ceremony 2023 FAO ECTAD in Bangladesh has been supporting the Bangladesh College of Veterinary Surgeons (BCVS) to hold the MCVS examination (commonly known as the Board Examination) as part of veterinary workforce development. As a part of this, a graduation ceremony of the second cohort of Members of the College of Veterinary Surgeons (MCVS) Examination was held on 12 August 2023 at Dhaka, Bangladesh hosted by BCVS facilitated by FAO funded by USAID for certification the successful six candidates who passed second cohort of the national Bangladesh College of Veterinary Surgeons (BCVS) board exam. The ceremony was chaired by Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain, President, BCVS and Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, GHSA Specialist, USAID was present as special guest. After the certification ceremony the third cohort of the national Bangladesh College of Veterinary Surgeons (BCVS) board exam was launched which will be conducted October 2023. All the successful candidates expressed their heartfelt gratitude for taking initiative of this MCVS exam for the first time in Bangladesh. |
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
 ©FAO/Saskia Soedarjo | INDONESIA FMD & LSD Workplan Meeting with Indonesian Government |