Veterinarians have upgraded their skills.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as part of the project "Strengthening Capacity in Animal Health, One Health, and Combating Antimicrobial Resistance to Prevent and Mitigate Zoonotic Threats in Uzbekistan," which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is conducting a five-day training seminar on epidemiological control and risk assessment for animal health.
The seminar includes participants from the Committee for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, staff from regional administrations, animal health specialists, and veterinary epidemiology researchers. The primary goal of the seminar is to enhance the knowledge and skills of more than 24 veterinary specialists and researchers from various regions of Uzbekistan, including Karakalpakstan, in identifying threats to animal health and effectively responding to them.
The training program covers priority areas of epidemiological monitoring, risk groups, and practical methods. Special attention is paid to animal health issues, combating zoonotic diseases, as well as animal protection and food safety, particularly concerning livestock products in the context of international trade.
The training program is led by Javier Gutiérrez, an epidemiologist consultant from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency. He is also the head of the FAO Veterinary Epidemiology Reference Centre at the Royal Veterinary College and the director of the Risk Analysis and Modelling Centre at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Gutiérrez noted:
- Improving epidemiological monitoring and enhancing measures to protect animal health in Uzbekistan is extremely important. This seminar has provided local specialists with access to modern approaches and tools that will enhance their readiness to identify and address threats to both animal and human health.
The national coordinator for the FAO-USAID project, Habibullo Khamdamov, emphasized:
- This training is a crucial step towards enhancing the professional level of specialists. Participants have gained practical knowledge and skills for the early detection of diseases, risk assessment, and effective responses to emerging challenges. This plays a key role in protecting animal health and maintaining epidemiological stability in the country.
During the training, particular emphasis is placed on the following aspects:
- practical implementation of epidemiological monitoring activities, including the identification of priority areas and risk groups;
- conducting qualitative risk assessments on-site, including identifying and detailing the pathways of pathogen spread;
- assessing operational risks using examples of priority diseases relevant to Uzbekistan;
- working on applied research to ensure its practical significance and applicability;
- using simple digital tools for data collection and processing to transition to electronic systems for managing animal health data.
Upon completion of the seminar, participants will acquire the skills to apply fundamental epidemiological principles for developing and implementing effective animal health monitoring activities, utilizing risk assessment principles to manage health protection issues, and conducting systematic qualitative assessments to identify and analyze risks related to animal health protection. This knowledge and these skills will enable specialists to effectively safeguard animal health and ensure epidemiological stability in the country.