Six Regional Workshops for OIE National Focal Points (FP) for Veterinary Products were held to date: the first in Johannesburg, 2010; the second Mombasa in 2012 ; the third, the fourth, fifth and the sixth in Entebbe 2015, Ezulwini 2017, and Addis Ababa in 2019. These seminars provided the FPs with knowledge on rights, commitments, and responsibilities of the OIE National Focal Points in the standard-setting process and compliance of their countries with the OIE international standards. They also provided the more in-depth understanding of key issues such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) including the Global Action Plan developed by WHO with the support of the OIE and FAO, Tripartite activities, the OIE database on the use of antimicrobial agents as well as the OIE strategy on AMR.
Raise awareness on antiparasitic resistance, and quality of veterinary products including the challenge of falsified medicines, possibility on harmonization/convergence of regulatory systems for registration of veterinary products .
The 7th seminar was held electronically (3 hours/day Webinars) on 23 and 24 February 2022 – to build on the feedback received from previous seminars and focus on different aspects of quality of veterinary medicines, considering the recommendations of the 2nd OIE Global Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prudent Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Animals ‘Putting Standards into Practice’. (Marrakesh, Morocco 29-31 October 2018).
The objectives of the 7th cycle is to build up on the 6th Cycle to continue and advance some subjects including:
03. Regulatory harmonization/convergence: International Cooperation on Harmonisation of technical requirements for registration of veterinary medicinal products (VICH, VICH Outreach Forum, VOF). – Collaboration with UK – VMD-Africa and SADC, – industry-H4A- Global dossier format
04. Antiparasitic resistance – update on the OIE activities: Present the document: “Responsible and prudent use of anthelmintic chemicals to help controlling anthelmintic resistance in grazing livestock”, to present two survey summaries conducted in the region.
05. AMU session update on the OIE keys activities: dedicated standalone AMU training webinar can be organized later in 2022 and 2023
This webinar was supposed to focus on:
-AMU (use) data collection (field level data and aquaculture AMU).
–Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) advocated by WHO.
06. Actuality: such as: Pharmaceutical Inspections-operation Scheme (PICS) – ANSES, OIE CC
Opportunities to learn and share the information, strengthen the network within the Region by dedicated time with interactive sessions, forum discussions.