Monrovia – Experts representing the animal and human health sectors have developed for the first time Liberia’s Animal Disease Surveillance and Response System.

The system will provide tangible and achievable solutions towards preventing, detecting and responding to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic economically important diseases of the country.

The exercise was a collaborative effort of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through the Emergency Center for transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through GHSA EPT-2 global program aimed at enhancing the Animal health capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

According to FAO, the plan will help determine the burden and establish hierarchy of priority disease and geographic distribution; establish multi-sector veterinary surveillance system to improve information flow across all levels of animal health network of Liberia.

The program will also improve and pave the way for information sharing among stakeholders on zoonotic diseases, Antimicrobic Resist stance (AMR) and other animal diseases as well as contribute to the reduction of mortality, morbidity and economic losses to human and animal.

Speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister Dr. Mogana S. flomo, the chief Veterinary Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture Joseph Anderson lauded the government of Liberia,  FAO and other partners.

Read more...