In 1991, IFAD initiated and supported, with a consortium of donors, the Regional Large-scale Biological Control Programme for the New World Screwworm in North Africa, through TAG 230, implemented by FAO through the Screwworm Emergency Centre for North Africa. This eradication programme was an outstanding success and its operations were completed in June 1992. A preventive phase was established to safeguard the achievements of the eradication programme and to avoid the possibility of pest resurgence in North Africa and its environs.
In addition to screwworm infestation, at least three animal diseases are deemed to be of major economic importance in the region: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in general in the area; rinderpest in the Middle East, including Egypt and the Sudan; and brucellosis, endemic in the whole region. These animal diseases have taken and continue to take significant toll on the potential benefits of livestock production. To effectively address the problem, it would be important to confine these diseases to the pockets where they currently persist and systematically to implement well-focused pest and disease control operations until they are eliminated. To achieve this, one of the prerequisites would be for information to be collected and made available on a regional basis concerning the typology of disease, with mapping of movements through hosts and geographic occurrence.
In June 1993 IFAD and FAO agreed on the need for a project supporting system to monitor and report animal health/disease information and to coordinate early warning and emergency preparedness in the region. The formulation phase of this programme was sponsored by IFAD through a preliminary grant and implemented by FAO and the State Veterinary Diagnostic and Research Institute (IZSAM), Italy.
The development objectives of RADISCON were to:
- increase animal production and smallholder revenues;
- enhance trade in animals, animal products and food of animal origin;
- reduce risk of human exposure to zoonoses; and
- contribute to economic development of the countries in the region, to be carried out under the umbrella of a regional animal health forum.
The immediate objective of the programme was to establish an animal disease surveillance and control network in the participating countries, with an operational unit dedicated to animal diseases surveillance in each country.
Collection and collation of disease information
Gathering information concerning the sporadic epidemics of infectious diseases and the presence of endemic diseases that have continued to cause direct and indirect losses in livestock production in the countries of the region.
Networking disease information for coordination
Communication of region-wide control measures and the development of information networks among neighbouring countries.
Disease information for monitoring control
Two disease surveillance strategies were pursued within the project’s activities:
(i) a disease reporting strategy; and
(ii) a sample-based strategy.
For disease reporting, veterinarians involved have been furnished with appropriate disease reporting forms and training in data management and investigation skills. The sample-based strategy consisted of selecting a representative livestock population in the country for systematic surveys of given diseases and production parameters.
Pilot sub-programme for control of sheep pox
The network was used in a test case for monitoring disease presence and for targeting eradication campaigns, involving a preparatory phase, an action phase, and a consolidation (or preventive) phase.
Institutional capacity building and communications
This activity of RADISCON involved training; networking, including meetings; and establishing a communications capability through supply of computers and modems.
The project introduced technology and methodology for systematic animal disease surveillance, monitoring and control, both nationally and as part of an effort to reduce the heavy socio-economic cost of the major diseases endemic to or threatening the region.
RADISCON involvement in analysing and understanding the animal health
situation in the region progressively increased during the project implementation
period, which helped in developing strategies and in advising on ways
to control diseases. Countries started exchanging information, using the
RADISCON outbreaks disease reports.
However, the development of this institutional capacity took time to attain
momentum, in part as a result of the emphasis on careful institutional
building to ensure a reliable basis for activities. At project end, further
efforts were still needed to consolidate activities in a sustainable manner,
and to improve risk analysis capabilities and management skills among
decision-makers. This could be fostered by active involvement in enhancing
the establishment of disease databases in the countries of the region.
A clear positive output of the current project was the development of timely information sharing. This activity deserves increased support to ensure that it becomes firmly established as a recognized regional tool in the battle against socio-economic losses from animal diseases. The RADISCON priority diseases (foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), rinderpest (RP), contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (BP) and brucellosis, with sheep pox (SP) for the Maghreb) situation were assessed in participating countries and their distribution illustrated through maps, charts and tables. Feedback to countries was provided through the News@RADISCON bulletin, RADISCON homepage, and electronic mailing lists.
The results of the first phase of RADISCON were positive, but there remained potential for reaching out beyond the state veterinary systems and involving the private sector. Private veterinarians should be part of RADISCON programmes. It is therefore recommended that every effort be made to extend the RADISCON concept nationally to involve all veterinarians. This will provide a much better basis for disease emergency responses. As donor-supported programmes have changed, it is recommended that RADISCON be slightly reduced in coverage, to 21 countries from the 29 countries of Phase 1, and that they operate in four clusters. The Sahel countries have become active in the Pan-African Campaign against Epizootics (PACE).
