The World Organisation for Animal Health in Africa has pledged to support the Africa Veterinary Technicians Association (AVTA) with a 3- year grant worth 66,000 euros being part of PC-TAD project funded by German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This is in its efforts to foster enhanced veterinary workforce development the in the region.
The Africa Veterinary Technicians Association membership consist of National Veterinary Paraprofessionals’ Associations in the region whose aim it is to promote and advocate for VPP practices for improved animal resource industry in Africa.
WOAH’s priority remains to support members through strengthening its collaborations between the various key stakeholders to create an enabling environment for VPPs workforce development in the region.
The VPP workforce development is a key part of component one of the PC-TAD project implemented in collaboration with Veterinary Services in Eastern Africa countries. The component entails support to member countries to develop their VPP workforce that is trained and equipped to provide quality veterinary service provision to rural and small holder farmers to control Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in small ruminants. Component : Veterinary workforce development – OIE – Africa
Since the inaugural veterinary paraprofessionals workforce conference in October 2015 (Pretoria, South Africa), WOAH has achieved many milestones including:
Picture : OIE Boardroom Nairobi : Mr. Benson Ameda, AVTA President (left) and Dr. Simon Kihu, WOAH Project Lead (right).
This opportunity brings about another milestone for World Organization for Animal Health to scale up its work on capacity building and VPP workforce development component. The collaboration seeks to prioritize and promote awareness and advocacy initiatives that will advance the organisations capacity building programmes to support and create an enabling environment for VPPs ;operationalize the tools available for members in developing and strengthening VPP workforce as well as build effective synergies and networks in the region.
Picture: Dr. Simon Kihu and Dr. Patrick Bastiaensen (WOAH) during the signing ceremony with AVTA President Mr. Benson Ameda and his team in Sub regional representation of Eastern Africa offices in Nairobi.