The second focus of the project component one, entail support to members countries to development a Veterinary Paraprofessional workforce that is trained and equipped to provide frontline veterinary services to rural smallholders to control peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in their small ruminants. To effectively control PPR and other transboundary animal diseases, Veterinary Services must be able to act quickly and decisively through the power of clearly written and enforceable laws that ensures effective disease surveillance, improved disease reporting and responses to outbreaks.
The project collaborates with other veterinary paraprofessional workforce projects globally such as Strengthening Veterinary Paraprofessional Competencies (DTRA VPP) funded by US Department of Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Professionalization of veterinary paraprofessionals (P3V) all implemented by OIE, and Sustainable Business through Training for Veterinary Paraprofessionals implement by FAO/EuFMD.
Veterinary Paraprofessionals operate in an environment that enables PPR control
The project supports partner countries to establish an enabling environment for the veterinary workforce through:
a) Veterinary Legislation Support Programme (VLSP) with aim of improving veterinary legislation,
b) Support veterinary statutory bodies within an improve veterinary regulatory framework,
c) Support the stakeholders put into place a supportive environment whereby the trained veterinary paraprofessionals can be recognized and work within the national Veterinary Services (public and private sectors).
Veterinary paraprofessionals are trained to support PPR control and eradication
The project collaborates with veterinary paraprofessionals training institutes with a view of supporting curricula reviews to ensure special focus on the practical and clinical skills necessary to identify and manage PPR and to validate compliance with OIE Competency Guidelines for veterinary paraprofessionals and the OIE Curricula Guidelines for veterinary paraprofessionals. The staff of training institutes are trained on the delivery of the updated curriculum of the veterinary paraprofessional courses.