The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), conducted a workshop in Ninawa Governorate to support and renew the capacity of veterinarians to identify, early diagnose, timely report the disease events to the veterinary hospital, manage the risks of this disease and monitor it, as well as the prevention and control strategy for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in this province.

The opening session was attended by the FAO Representative in Iraq, the Technical Deputy of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Director of the Veterinary Hospital in Nineveh. Fifty specialists from veterinary dispensaries affiliated to the Nineveh Governorate veterinary hospital attended the workshop.

Dr. Salah El-Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative, said “this workshop is timely needed. It will scale up capacities to control diseases outbreaks, including FMD, affecting the national economy and breeders’ income .

The Technical Deputy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mithaq Abdul-Hussein, highlighted the importance to enhance the scientific and technical capacities of veterinarians and farmers/breeders to control epidemic diseases affecting livestock and preventing their spread.

The Director of the Nineveh Veterinary Hospital confirmed ongoing control measures taken by the veterinary hospital and its affiliated veterinary clinics.

During the workshop, FAO technical team discussed with the participants the FMD transmission, epidemiology and pathogenesis, clinical signs and differential diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis, symptomatic treatment and control measures.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations