Animal Disease Recognition and Response Training Workshop held in Saint Lucia

As part of the “One Health, One Caribbean, One Love” project, funded by the European Union, co-funded by the 10th European Development Fund SPS Project and implemented by the University of the West Indies (UWI)’ a training workshop was held in Saint Lucia, aimed at strengthening the ability of the veterinary services and livestock producers to recognise, diagnose and respond to animal and zoonotic diseases.

The ultimate goal of this workshop is to increase food security by decreasing the risk of livestock production losses due to foreign, endemic and zoonotic animal diseases.

The Animal Disease Recognition and Response workshop trained personnel of the veterinary services and selected livestock producers on specific priority animal diseases in poultry, small ruminants and swine. The workshop focused on exotic diseases in swine, tick borne diseases in ruminants and highlighted the experience of the USA in combating Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

Saint Lucia hosted its local workshop on March 1st and 2nd, 2016, at the Orchid Gardens in Union and the major objectives of the training included:

- To improve the ability of veterinarians, animal health assistants, livestock keepers and farmers to accurately recognize and respond to priority animal, zoonotic and foodborne diseases

- To train members of the veterinary services, livestock production personnel, livestock producers and farmers on the identification of and the response to priority animal and zoonotic diseases

Special thanks to the workshops key facilitators, Dr. Chris Oura and Dr. Karla Georges, of  UWI, Dr. Cedric Lazarus of  FAO and Dr. Fidelis N. Hegngi of USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services.

Written by Sharmine Melville, Veterinary Officer, Veterinary and Livestock Services Division, St. Lucia