Bahrain Joins Regional Effort to Strengthen Animal Disease Control Measures
A delegation from the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, led by Dr. Ibrahim Yousif, Assistant Undersecretary for Animal Wealth, took part in a high-level international workshop in Riyadh focused on combating Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
The event was jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the European Commission for the Control of FMD (EuFMD), and brought together experts and officials from across the region.
The workshop aimed to review the current epidemiological status of FMD and PPR, evaluate the progress made in implementing previous disease control strategies, and develop an updated action plan. This plan includes regional priorities and practical recommendations, alongside strengthening collaboration among member states in surveillance and emergency response.
Key outcomes included the update of the regional roadmap for disease control, identification of new priorities based on each country's epidemiological situation, and enhancement of diagnostic and vaccination capabilities to better respond to outbreaks. The workshop also recommended the formation of specialized technical committees to monitor the implementation of recommendations at the regional level.
Representing the Kingdom of Bahrain alongside Dr. Yousif were Dr. Fajer Sabah Al Salloom, Director of the Animal Health Directorate and Bahrain's representative to WOAH (also serving as the organization's Vice President), and Dr. Shaima Jihad, a veterinary specialist from the Animal Disease Control Department.
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