Johannesburg, South Africa
OIE training of Focal Points for Veterinary Products (cycle I) Africa-wide
November 26, 2010
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About 30 participants representing some fifteen countries of North Africa and the Middle East participated in an advanced OIE training seminar for the National Focal Points of the OIE for Veterinary Products, from 6 to 8 December 2011 in Casablanca.
A first workshop on this subject was organised by the OIE in Johannesburg (South Africa) in November 2010 for African countries and Damascus (Syria) in December 2009 for the Middle East countries. A similar workshop (Advanced Training) was held last September in Dakar for Francophone countries of Africa.
During the opening ceremony, the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Fisheries, Dr. Jaouad Barrada, Director of Veterinary Services has emphasised the importance of proper control at all levels of the chain of manufacturing, distribution and use of veterinary products in the countries of the region. Veterinary products are essential for the development of livestock production, control of animal health as well as public health. Efforts in these areas should be increased on the basis of OIE standards.
The workshop was organised with financial support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in collaboration with the French Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products, both OIE Collaborating Centres for Veterinary products.
The role of the national focal points of the OIE for veterinary products was particularly highlighted. OIE focal points are placed under the authority of the OIE Delegate in each member country and support him/her to complete and implement the duties and obligations inherent to the status of OIE member countries. In the field of veterinary products, this includes the creation of a national network of experts on veterinary products or to communicate with the existing network (expert consultations about draft legislation or draft standards proposed by the OIE in this field).
Organised by the Sub-Regional Representation of the OIE for North Africa based in Tunis in partnership with the OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East based in Beirut, this workshop has also focused on the VICH initiative (International Cooperation on Harmonisation of technical Requirements for registration of Veterinary medicinal products), the problem of residues and antimicrobial resistance and the control of drug – quality, including of vaccines.
The training also enabled the organisers:
The OIE has launched a global programme of capacity building to the attention of Delegates and OIE focal points. One objective is to provide good governance concepts to the main actors of national Veterinary Services. Among these elements of governance, the OIE is very attached to the proper management of veterinary products, both in view of animal health and public health.
The OIE has already organised two regional conferences devoted specifically to veterinary products, entitled “Towards harmonization and improvement of the registration, distribution and quality control”. The first was held in Africa in March 2008 in Dakar (Senegal)
C. Lambert, from the French agency for veterinary products, OIE Collaborating Center. Picture (c) V. Brioudes (oie) 2011
