P3V Project supports training of teachers in microbiology, biochemistry-haematology and the design of dummies as part of a skills lab at EISMV in Dakar.

The Professionalising Veterinary Paraprofessionals  or ‘P3V’ project aims to improve access to quality veterinary services for livestock farmers in French-speaking Africa. To achieve this, building the capacity of teachers involved in veterinary paraprofessional (VPP) training is a key factor in improving the skills of future field workers, who will be responsible for providing quality animal health.

The teacher training course on microbiology covered the following topics:

• Familiarisation with the materials and equipment in a microbiology laboratory.
• Biosafety procedures in microbiology.
• Knowledge of the characteristics of bacterial species of interest in veterinary medicine.
• Principles of sterilisation and safety rules.
• Bacterial isolation and identification media.

Inoculation, culture, identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing techniques.

For biochemistry and haematology:

• Analysis of biochemical test results, distinguishing between usual values and variations.
• Understanding and application of biochemical tests in the veterinary clinic.
• Application of biochemical tests in the diagnosis of animal diseases.

The skills laboratory covered the following topics:

• Knowledge of the skills labs;
• Design and manufacture of dummies;
• Adaptation to clinical needs;
• Minor surgery;
• Blood sampling; injections, obstetrics;
• Use of dummies in training;
• Planning and implementation of skills-lab sessions;
• Assessment of learning through simulated learning.

The training courses introduced the teachers to the use of some of the laboratory equipment that will be supplied to them at a later date by the project.